The image of Our Lady with the Child was presented at the Sacred Art Museum of Funchal, at a ceremony that also marked the signing of the donation contract of the piece to the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The sculpture may be the same one that disappeared from the main altar of the Funchal Cathedral about 460 years ago.
The donation contract was signed by the president of the Regional Government, Miguel Albuquerque, and by the representatives of the donating companies. Idalina Pestana represented ENOTEL – Hotels management, while Luís Moutinho, CEO of MC Sonae, signed on behalf of Modelo Continente Hipermarkets.
The piece was subjected to a process of investigation and restoration before being made available to the public. The donating companies assumed the costs associated with the recovery and study of the sculpture.
The discovery may represent a significant find for the artistic and religious heritage of Madeira, allowing the recovery of a historical piece that may have been missing from the Funchal Cathedral since the 16th century.
