Baccio da Montelupo is considered a leading figure of the Florentine Renaissance. The beginning of his career in late 15th century Florence is linked to the Medici circles, alongside Domenico Ghirlandaio and Benedetto da Maiano, and the main religious orders. His definitive establishment in the city of the Medici happened in the early 16th century, marked by his relationship with some of the leading masters of the time such as the Della Robbia. The artist’s activity left a distinctive body of sculptures, including our Madonna and Child. The elegant figure of the Madonna, wrapped in a large cloak and with distinguished hairstyle, stands while resting her lower left foot on a plinth. Her right hand holds the baby Jesus who attentively engages the viewer. The sculpture features the most modern tendencies of the early 16th century Florentine sculpture. It is important not only because of its artistic accomplishment, but also as an example of the practices of early 16th century artistic production and commission mechanisms and dynamics between the artists and patronage. According to the scholar David Lucidi, the sculpture is a model that Baccio da Montelupo presented in the competition for the commission of a marble Madonna and Child sculpture, destined for a niche in the Mercato Nuovo of Florence. Other artists who submitted their proposals were Baccio Bandinelli, Zaccaria Zacchi and Jacopo Sansovino. This competition, described by Renaissance writer Giorgio Vasari, was held between 1511-1512. The judge of the competition was the acclaimed Lorenzo di Credi, a pupil of Verrocchio.



This piece comes with a Thermoluminescence Analysis Report from Oxford Authentication Ltd. stating that the estimated date of last firing was 400 to 700 years ago.









 

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