The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 18, 2025

Mourning Virgin

early 1400s

Austria, Upper Rhine, 15th century

gilt copper
Overall: 15.3 cm (6 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1942.1092
Location: Not on view

Description

These small statuettes would have originally flanked a crucifix as suggested by this arrangement. According to the Gospels, the Virgin and Saint John were present on Golgotha at Christ’s death. Medieval artists frequently depicted them standing next to the cross.
  • Milliken, William M. “Copper-Gilt Cross from Vienna.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 30, no. 10 (December 1943): 147–156. Mentioned: p. 147-149; Reproduced: Cover, p. 153, 156 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 152 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 52 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 53 archive.org
  • {{cite web|title=Mourning Virgin|url=false|author=|year=early 1400s|access-date=18 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1942.1092