The Virgin and St John the Evangelist, sculpture collection Rijksmuseum

The figures of the Virgin and the Apostle John originally flanked a crucified Christ. The Virgin is represented with an expression of intense sorrow, while he gazes upwards in dismay. Her masterfully carved, flowing robes and her face were inspired by the Italian Baroque. John’s dynamic pose is derived from a famous sculptural group from Classical antiquity, the Laocoön.