Herend China Madonna And Child Reserve Collection
Trimmed in 24k gold
22 inches high x 5 inches wide
Herends Madonna & Child is based on a Gothic wooden statue from (circa) 1420 called the Second Madonna of Toporc which is housed in the Hungarian National Gallery. The porcelain version made its debut in 1940 when Herend artist reinterpreted the image for the manufactory. In 2009 this figurine is being introduced for the first time in a mantle of forget-me-nots. Based on medieval legend the pairing of the Myosotis pattern (botanical Latin for forget-me-not) with this figurine has significance beyond the purely aesthetic. Legend has it that the Christ Child was sitting on Marys lap one day and said that he wished that future generations could see the beauty of her eyes. He touched her eyes and then waved his hand over the ground and the blue of her eyes appeared forever in the form of the forget-me-not. It takes 3 painters a combined total of 48 hours to create this figurine.