Madonna of Bruges, Marble statue in Church of Our Lady, Bruges, Belgium.
The Madonna of Bruges shows the Virgin Mary gazing downward while the Christ child stands independently, carved from a single block of Carrara marble.
The sculpture left Italy in 1506 after Michelangelo completed it between 1501 and 1504, commissioned by wealthy Bruges cloth merchants Jan and Alexander Mouscron.
The sculpture represents a departure from traditional Northern European religious art, displaying Italian Renaissance influences in its natural poses and emotional depth.
The Madonna statue stands protected behind bulletproof glass in the Church of Our Lady, which requires an entrance fee for visitors.
German forces transported this 750-kilogram marble masterpiece to an Austrian salt mine during World War II before its return to Bruges in 1945.
Location: Bruges
Inception: 1501
Creator: Michelangelo
Height: 135 cm
Made from material: marble
GPS coordinates: 51.20472,3.22444
Latest update: May 27, 2025 16:07
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