The Papal Madonna

The original sculpture, entitled Papal Madonna I, was presented to Pope John Paul II at the Denver World Youth Day in July of 1993. It is currently on display at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. USA. In Papal Madonna II, pictured here, there has been further refinement of detail in both the figure and in the base on which it stands. The basic concepts of the piece remain exactly the same. Highly polished featureless faces render it a universal piece which would be interpreted the same in any church in the world. Yet the view of the beholder is unique to each individual, reflecting an element of self. There is a stillness and tenderness in the relationship between Mother and Child. The gracefulness and fluidity of the drapery folds convey a sense of motion as Mary protectively shields her Infant Jesus.

The sculpture pictured here is currently on display at the Premier Gallery in Minneapolis, MN USA as part of the Expressions of Devotion, a National Religious Art Exhibit.