On September 8th, an ancient Gothic image of Our Lady with the Child Jesus was presented at the Funchal Sacred Art Museum. It is presumed to be the original image from the Gothic altarpiece of the main altar of Funchal Cathedral, representing an important testimony to the history, art, and faith of the Sé.
The image was acquired by the Regional Government of Madeira, sponsored by Estevão Neves and Continente companies, for 45,000 euros. This is a significant step towards the recovery and appreciation of a piece potentially linked to the Cathedral's origins.
It is believed the image disappeared in 1566 during the invasion by French Calvinist corsairs. During the raid, the Cathedral's religious heritage was heavily impacted, with several statues attacked and mutilated. Some of the Cathedral's treasures were saved by a sacristan, but the whereabouts of the ancient image of Our Lady were lost amidst the destruction.
