Madonna on the Crescent Moon

The “Madonna on the Crescent Moon” was sculpted from limewood over 600 years ago. Very little is known about it. It likely originated from a late Gothic winged altarpiece, which could be opened and closed, altering its appearance throughout the church year. The gentle expression on Mary’s face and her slender figure classify the sculpture as a “beautiful Madonna.”

From the end of the 14th century, this type of sculpture spread from Bohemia to Silesia, where the Marian figure was created between 1410 and 1420, possibly in a sculptor’s workshop in Bolesławiec, intended for the church in today’s Drożków near Żarów, in Lower Lusatia. It stood at the center of the altar cabinet, surrounded by figures of other saints.

Mary stands atop a crescent moon, hence she is also referred to as the “Madonna on the Crescent Moon.” The scepter in her hand and crown are attributes of the “Queen of Heaven.” She holds the Christ Child on her right arm. The apple in Jesus’ hand alludes to the Old Testament original sin caused by Eve, who, according to the biblical story, ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge and shared it with Adam. However, Mary overcomes sin through the virgin birth of the Savior. The crescent moon is a sign of her purity, which conquers the “old Adam” — the face hidden beneath the crescent. Therefore, Mary was venerated as the “new Eve.”

It is unclear how the figure made its way from Silesia to western Germany. In 1950, it appeared on the art market, retaining its original polychrome. Presumably, during the Baroque period, the Christ Child’s hand was somewhat clumsily restored. The sculpture has been on display in Görlitz since the opening of the Silesian Museum.