Golden Madonna of Essen, Ottonian gold-covered sculpture in Essen Cathedral, Essen, Germany
The Golden Madonna of Essen is a seated figure of Mary carved from a single piece of poplar wood, covered with gold leaf less than 0.25 mm thick. She holds a globe in her right hand and supports the Christ Child on her lap; the child wears a pontifical gown and presses a book to his chest. The statue is 74 cm high and 27 cm wide at the base.
The work was created around 980 AD and is considered the oldest known Madonna sculpture north of the Alps. Its creation marked a turning point in the development of free-standing medieval sculpture in Europe.
The statue depicts Mary holding the Christ Child and continues to serve as a spiritual symbol for the Diocese of Essen. Worshippers view it as a connection to veneration practices that have persisted for centuries.
The work is housed in a climate-controlled display case in the cathedral and is accessible to visitors during opening hours. It is protected with high security measures and can be viewed from the left side chapel.
The gold sheets are secured with tiny golden bolts, showing an extraordinary crafting technique. This construction method was highly innovative for the time the work was created.
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