Virgin Mary

The depiction of the Virgin Mary through the Medieval and Renaissance period was important in that it helped to raise the status of women in Western society. The art and literature of the times presented the Virgin Mary as a human mother exhibiting divine qualities through being the Mother of God. The influence of these qualities can be seen in the art of the Renaissance and specifically in the “Chartre” Cathedral. The literature of the Renaissance also compared the role of Eve and the original sin to that of the Virgin Mary and her divinity in being chosen to give birth the Christ. The stain glass of the churches in Renaissance Europe also depict typical biblical scenes to educate and symbolize beliefs of the faith.

The primary reason for the growth of the adoration of the Virgin Mary during the Medieval and Renaissance Period was her symbolic power that was brought forth through art, sculpture and literature. She captured the Christians imagination through both popular devotion and a theological reflection of God in works created through out the Renaissance. It was the image of the “Mother of the Redeemer,” featuring the merciful kindness of the Savior and of His mother as companion in the redemption work of her son to show her divine right to her God.

During the Renaissance, the Virgin Mary was prevalent theme throughout this period where artists such as: Fra Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Bothicellical and Perugino were inspired to paint the Virgin Mary. The paintings show a motherly pleasant looking women holding or caring for her child. The paints are capturing the Mary as a human but giving her a divine appearance. The child being Christ shows her power by giving birth to him and by caring for the Son of God. In essence providing love, caring, and protection for the young child of God. For example, plate 15 and frame 23, these plates show a compassionate caring mother that is humanistic in depiction but larger or more encompassing of the painting than the Christ child. This is implying her importance in the early life of Christ. This also shows the power or her earthly influence over the child even though she is a human and not a deity. This gives her a special place in the church as the earthly Mother that is the most perfect of humans, other than Christ.

The Renaissance art clearly shows her as a motherly, honorable or respectable women to be adored by humans. Her expression in most of the artwork reflects a pleasant adoring look toward her child exhibiting unconditional love, faithfulness and obedience. This look tends show Mary as giving support and approval to her child in his actions on earth. This also brings human closer to God in that he was born human and fulfilled his scriptural duties on earth for us. Her importance to humans was also brought forth in similar sculptures in the Catholic church such as the “Pieta” and through literature of the times.

The symbol of mother and child was transformed in the Renaissance period by becoming more divine and becoming a focus of adoration by Christians. She was always the Virgin Mary Mother of God through out the early church but during the Medieval and Renaissance periods her position was elevated by art and literature. She was depicted as a human exhibiting heavenly and graceful qualities from her appearance in flowing robs to her innocent facial features. She is even presented in paintings being seen in heavenly thrones with Christ, elaborate beautiful surroundings. Prior these depictions of Mary she was simply a women who gave birth to Christ but through the though and art of the Renaissance she was included intimately with Christ in humanistic form.

Mary together with Eve, with whom she has often been contrasted as the Second Eve, has provided the subject matter for some of the best and worst in that checkered history. Psychological