Mater Dolorosa (Mourning Virgin)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Chinese characters on the bottom of this sculpture indicate the colors used for the various patterns on the robes and help catalogue it as a work of art produced by an artist trained in China, as does the style of the rocks upon which the Madonna sits. The mournful expression of the face of the Virgin, the clasped hands, and the seated position are typical of representations of the mourning Madonna (mater dolorosa), an image of the Virgin Mary that represents her sorrows during the sufferings of her Son, a theme that was popular in music and ritual during the eighteenth century. The sculpture was most likely produced either in Fujian Province or by an artist trained in that area but working in the Philippines.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art