The Virgin and Child Enthroned by the Master of the Embroidered Foliage from 1500 depicts the Virgin Mary sitting in a walled garden with the infant Jesus on her lap. Separated from the surrounding landscape by an embroidered tapestry, the Virgin’s red cloak commands the attention of the viewer. With this visual basis, The Virgin and Child Enthroned portrays the Virgin Mary and Christ Child as both the fertile foundation and timeless icon of the Christian Church.
The Virgin Mary serves as the connection between the fertility of the paradoxical garden and the divine structure of the golden tapestry. Wearing an ornate and naturalistic cloak, which conceals the majority of her physical features, the Virgin becomes the pyramidal anchor of the
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painting. At the base of her cloak, strawberry blossoms and plantain plants comprise the masterful foliage from which the artist is named. This walled garden, in which the Virgin Mary sits enthroned, symbolizes the innocence and fertility of her divine conception at the genesis of the new Christian faith. However, focus is then directed above the garden by the natural folds and elegant hem of the red cloak. In particular, the strawberry blossoms on the left side of the garden overlap with the golden trim and point the viewer along the largest fold towards the book held open for Christ. This upward movement along the pyramid represents progression from the fertile beginnings of the garden on earth to the more complex structure of the golden tapestry. For above the Virgin’s decorated headband, the image of the pomegranate on the tapestry represents hope for eternal life in heaven within the Christian Church. Thus the Virgin Mary, with her naturalistic garment and jewels, acts as the pyramidal connection between the paradoxical garden on earth and the heavenly realm of the tapestry. Shifting our focus from the commanding Virgin Mary, the Christ Child lies between the garden and tapestry as the representation of divinity on earth.
Wearing an off-white tunic, the Christ Child sits on the altar of his mother’s lap in preparation for his sacrifice to reconcile the sins of humanity. The Virgin Mary, who was believed to understand her son’s fate, tilts her head towards the child and looks down in contemplation to indicate her knowledge. Christ’s sacrifice, celebrated as the principle sacrament of mass in the Eucharist, forms the foundation of Christian ideology. Thus the child serves with the Virgin Mary to depict the genesis and foundation of the church. In addition, the Christ Child extends the image into perpetual time by flipping through the Book of Hours, a devotional book used for prayer at specific times of the day. In other words, by blessing the Book of Hours with his left hand, the Christ Child declares the timelessness of image shown in The Virgin and Child …show more content…
Enthroned. Moving beyond the Virgin Mary and Christ Child, smaller scenes beyond the tapestry serve to bolster the foundational and timeless elements depicted in the main event. The painting is divided into three horizontals including the middle-ground and background in addition to the foreground discussed above. These horizontals work with the vertical tapestry to provide order and structure around the foundational pyramid of the Virgin. Turning to specific scenes beyond the foreground, a group of three angels dressed in traditional tunics occupies the left side of the middle-ground while two laypeople dressed in fifteenth century clothes occupy the right side. This contrast between clothing highlights the timelessness of the image. The two laypeople also have their backs turned to the paradoxical garden and viewer, a position which illustrates a declining commitment to the church after the Middle Ages amid the Northern Renaissance in 1500. The sleeping dog, an animal traditionally employed to represent fidelity and loyalty to the church, comments on this waning engagement. In the background, the town on which the laypeople gaze occupies the left side, and a larger city appears in the distance on the right. These urban locations amplify the lack of time in the image, as such locations did not exist during Christ’s infancy, and also suggest the relevance of the Virgin Mary and Christ to life in fifteenth century. In conclusion, both the structure and surrounding elements of the painting strengthen the central ideas depicted within the foreground. Expanding from the Master of the Embroidered Foliage’s interpretation of these biblical characters, The Virgin Adoring the Child by Bartolomeo Montagna from the Italian Renaissance in 1500 offers an alternative portrayal of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child.
Bartolomeo also establishes the foreground with a vertical tapestry and shows the Virgin adoring her child in contemplation; however, the tapestry lacks the pomegranate and ornate decoration of the original work and the admired child has been removed from his mother’s lap and placed on a stone ledge. And although the Virgin Mary remains the pyramidal anchor of the work, Bartolomeo only paints the upper half of the body and diminishes the structural effect. These differences both highlight the relationship between the Virgin and her child Bartolomeo portrays and the unique characteristics of The Virgin and Child Enthroned by the Master of the Embroidered Foliage. For by expanding the context in which the Virgin represents the structural pyramid of a work, the Master’s emphasis on structural foundation and connection between earth and heaven becomes increasingly clear. In other words, only by examining an outside work does the Virgin’s naturalistic cloak connecting the fertile garden with the heavenly tapestry dominate the viewing experience. In addition, the lack of urbanization in the background of The Virgin Adoring the Child emphasizes the timelessness of the original work. For with the exception of an abandoned
stone structure to the left of the tapestry, Bartolomeo’s work lacks the activities which enthrone the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child in endless time in the Master of the Embroidered Foliage’s piece. These two examples of relative scale and background action further support the emphasis on foundation and timelessness portrayed in The Virgin and Child Enthroned. The masterful foliage, intense colors, and majestic golden tapestry of The Virgin and Child Enthroned would have commanded the general attention of church worshippers. However with close observation of the work’s structure and surrounding details, the viewer uncovers the Master’s emphasis on portraying the biblical foundation of the Christian Church and the timelessness of his subjects. For the pyramidal structure of the Virgin Mary and placement of the Christ Child on her lap serve to illuminate everything from the innocent and fertile conception of the Christian Church to the divinity of the Eucharist, while the smaller scenes of background enthrone the Virgin and Child in eternity.
When that room is entered all voices are hushed, and all merriment silenced. The place is as holy as a church. In the centre of the canvas is the Virgin Mother with a young, almost girlish face or surpassing loveliness. In her eyes affection and wonder are blended, and the features and the figure are the most spiritual and beautiful in the world's art.
Another example of Christian iconography is The Transfiguration. It is located in the Church of Saint Catherine’s monaster...
Madonna and child is one of the early Christian paintings. It shows “Madonna” as the virgin Marry and the “Child” as baby Jesus. The artist Berlinghiero did this great painting in the Greca period in the twelfth century. This painting was done on wood with two figures in front of a gold background. Madonna is wearing a dark blue cloak with golden decorations that cover most of her body; she is also wearing a reddish dress underneath her cloak that is only visible on her arms. To show here modesty the only thing that can be seen is here arms, neck and face. Her hand has and unrealistic look to them so as if they look long and skinny. According to the museum label “Berlinghiero was always open to Byzantine influence, and this Madonna
Contextual Theory: This painting depicts a portrait of life during the late 1800’s. The women’s clothing and hair style represent that era. Gorgeous landscape and a leisurely moment are captured by the artist in this work of
The Merode Altarpiece is a triptych painting that represents the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. This work displays the main characteristics of the Northern Late Gothic period. There is so much detail in this work of art. Campin utilizes many symbols in this altarpiec. The setting of the painting is in a Flemish middle class house. The Annunciation theme is being depicted in the central panel. A scene of Saint Joseph at work as a carpenter occupies the right-hand panel. The portraits of the donors are depicted in the left hand panel. Campin failed to understand the scientific perspective. To illustrate, there is no focal point in the painting and the table looks tilted. Campin used no aerial perspective. To illustrate, the background is still very crisp when seen from a distance. The most important aspect of the painting is the symbolism. For example, the lilies represent Mary's purity, the candle represents the Holy Spirit, even the mouse traps represent trapping evil. Campin also made use of bright, rich colors. In the central panel, the drapery of the figures are filled with colors of red and white. Campin has also made a good use of illusion of the space by making the town seem to be far away by distance by making them appear blurry. Furthermore, Campin has created figures that are not in proper proportion. To illustrate, the figure’s head is small and the bodies are big and it seems that if they get will hit their head if they get up. They look very unrealistic. Although they are not in proportion, the figures seem to have very sharp edges. The figures also look very stiff and rigid. In Merode Altarpiece, the light is arbitrary and the figures do not cast any...
By most accounts, the year 1500 was in the midst of the height of the Italian Renaissance. In that year, Flemmish artist Jean Hey, known as the “Master of Moulins,” painted “The Annunciation” to adorn a section of an alter piece for his royal French patrons. The painting tells the story of the angel Gabriel’s visit to the Virgin Mary to deliver the news that she will give birth to the son of God. As the story goes, Mary, an unwed woman, was initially terrified about the prospects of pregnancy, but eventually accepts her fate as God’s servant. “The Annunciation” is an oil painting on a modest canvas, three feet tall and half as wide. The setting of the painting is a study, Mary sitting at a desk in the bottom right hand corner reading, and the angel Gabriel behind her holding a golden scepter, perhaps floating and slightly off the canvas’s center to the left. Both figures are making distinct hand gestures, and a single white dove, in a glowing sphere of gold, floats directly above Mary’s head. The rest of the study is artistic but uncluttered: a tiled floor, a bed with red sheets, and Italian-style architecture. “The Annunciation” was painted at a momentous time, at what is now considered the end of the Early Renaissance (the majority of the 15th Century) and the beginning of the High Renaissance (roughly, 1495 – 1520). Because of its appropriate placement in the Renaissance’s timeline and its distinctly High Renaissance characteristics, Jean Hey’s “Annunciation” represents the culmination of the transition from the trial-and-error process of the Early Renaissance, to the technical perfection that embodied the High Renaissance. Specifically, “Annunciation” demonstrates technical advancements in the portrayal of the huma...
The immediate background consists of natural mounds of dirt and a brick wall that enclose the Virgin, Child, and St. John, amplifying the protective effect that Mary’s figure has. The dirt mounds roll inward with a brick wall bordering them on the right, drawing the viewer’s attention towards the three figures. The background is painted in broad terms, with a simple, uniform depiction of tree leaves and smooth rock faces on the horizon. This contrasts with the fine-lined detail and texture of Mary’s hair, facial features, and veil, which further contribute to her elegance and highlight her
The ability to create a picture of The Annunciation in one’s mind is a key factor in understanding the analysis of the work. Francisco de Zurbaran approaches the painting with a naturalistic style. The painting features a room in which a woman – like angel is seen at the left kneeling on the ground before the Virgin Mary. The figure of Mary is placed between a chair and a small wooden table draped with a green cloth. Mary disregards an open Bible on the table, as she appears solemn while staring at the floor. Floating above the two main figures in the upper left side of the painting are cherubs resting on a bed of clouds. They happily gaze down at Mary with eyes from Heaven.
The painting is intimate, almost as if was not meant for the eyes of the viewer. The mother gently holds the baby, within her arms, as she feeds him. The mother’s gaze is met by the child as it reaches out to touch her face. The background is simple, emphasizing the closeness between the mother and child, much like Le Brun’s piece. Additionally, Cassatt’s The Child's Bath, 1893 “with its striking and unorthodox composition, is one of Cassatt’s masterworks” (“The Child's Bath”). Within this composition, she employed the use of unconventional devices such as cropped forms, bold patterns and outlines, and a flattened perspective (“The Child's Bath”). Cassatt utilizes a pastel-like color scheme, exemplifying the delicateness and tenderness between the mother and her bathing child. Her brush strokes are swift and gentle, again, suggesting the passionate, yet soft, love the mother has for her child. The elevated vantage point invites the viewer to observe this intimate moment, but not to
As I walked into the first gallery, I saw a wood sculpture that stood in the center of the room. This carving depicted “the crucified Christ, flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist with Angels holding instruments of the Passion”. It was painted oak and very appealing to the eye. It stood approximately 15 feet in the air. The origin of this sculpture is unknown, but it was found in a Belgium church. This kind of sculpture usually stood at the entrance or at the center of the alter in the church facing the congregation. This image of the suffering Christ relates to the Christian ideas of suffering and Christ’s salvation of all mankind.
This identification of Mary of Burgundy is supported by the juxtaposition of the foreground Mary to the one in the church interior. The miniature presents a type of communication that is achieved by individuals, who are engaged in a meditative state. Either a devotional book or painting could be used to help them reach this state. In this meditative state, the individual would imagine themselves before the sacred figure. This is illustrated in the Hours of Mary Burgundy, where the ‘real’ Mary of Burgundy is reading the book in the foreground frame; the book of hours presumably enables her to achieve a meditative state shown through the window. The window-frame was used to make a transition from the foreground to the background and more importantly, work as a representation of a mode of communication with the divine. Framing plays a similar role in the triptychs we will examine in this
A pervasive characteristic of the Pre-Raphaelite Era is emphasis on vivid imagery. The art of the Pre-Raphaelite Era contains detailed depictions of even the most mundane objects. This idea additionally appears widely in the era’s literature. Poems such as “Goblin Market” and “The Blessed Damozel” illustrate this well. The poems’ use of descriptive words serve to create a detailed image in the reader’s mind.
In class we explored how pastime disciples used their virtue of holiness to spread the message of Jesus.In this paper I will discuss the Marian Prayer “To Mary Mother of the Church and Acts of Concentration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary”(1), the Marian title Our Lady of Guadalupe and her appearance at the feet of a poor boy in need of helping prayers. I will also be including relating prayers and happenings that Mary experienced to modern day and how we can be affected to inform others about our faith life. The most important thing to keep in mind about Mary and all of her occurrences is that she was the only person who has never been known to sin in their entire life being.This makes it out to be that we all see Mary the way which she should
In Morisot work, there is a sleeping woman who is not clearly observed. There is a watering can in front of the child. This can be an illusion of the importance of watering a child to flourish. This painting is different from that of Gustave’s. The later has a garden that is pruned. The trees are also manicured and appear to be swaying with the breeze. The flowers are tightly collected in a corner. Such arrangement demonstrates order, and purpose. Orderliness manifests status and class by linking coordinately. Each arrangement indicates class and status and hence represents the corners of the life. Ranging from tables to chairs and clothes worn by man and the well enclosed tress that are sparkling white and well-polished, orderliness among males is revealed. Conversely, The Basket Chair reveals a different theme. It indicates that life is disorderly, undeveloped, and that the females are still developing. This is contrary to “The Orange Trees,” which reveals a fully developed stage. With the “Basket Chair,” life is portrayed as a continuing growth and that it is untidy because it was never finished. The flowers compare to roses, while the other roses have overly matured and hence, they will die. The child will later grow into a woman and die too. Precisely, the two paints differentiate the development in a men life and that of women. The life of males is well developed than that of females, which is disorderly and
Indeed, Gabriel Lantivy, the prefect of Corsica, on the island since 1824, has required the government a master painting for the Ajaccio Cathedral. This one arrived on February17th 1827, and the official announcement published in Corsica is revealing: “Ce tableau représente le triomphe de la religion : celle-ci, sous la figure d’une femme, est représentée assise sur un nuage. Son bras gauche entoure une croix, sa main droite, qu’elle porte en avant tient un cœur. Parmi les anges qui se jouent autour d’elle on en remarque deux qui se tiennent embrassés, sans doute pour indiquer que le christianisme est une religion d’union et de paix .” Thus, for the first time, the subject is no longer a Virgin with a Sacred Heart, but the triumph of Religion symbolized by a woman seated on a cloud. Then, a long exegesis follows: no Virgin and no Sacred Heart are mentioned. Especially, the three enigmatic figures in the lower part of the composition are meaningful. The bearded old man with a book in his hand is a thinking philosopher: he symbolizes the intellectual reception of the Christian revelation by civilized people. The young couple on the right symbolizes Barbarian’s nations freed from slavery, but frightened by the apparition of Religion . This exegesis of the Virgin of the Sacred Heart can give us indications about the real