Botticelli's Virgin Mary Paintings Part 1
https://phistars.blogspot.com/2012/07/botticellis-virgin-mary-paintings-part.html
Botticelli's Virgin Mary Paintings
Since the beginning of time, the figure of a mother and a baby have made many people go "Awww, how cute". The Medici Catholic King Priests where no fools. When Catholicism finally became the norm, these priests Jungle a lot with the concept of the Virgin Mary. Only the obscure Revelations, placed the Virgin in the role as the Queen of Heaven. This enough gave a major boost to the cult of the Virgin Mary. In the Gothic period, the Virgin with Baby Jesus was just as common as images of the Crucified Christ.
The literacy level among the vulgar was almost nonexistent. The priest kept the vulgar interested in the Latin sermons via imagery. You modern folks would not understand. Those images combine with the soft murmuring of prayers added to the whole mystery of the church. In those days, the church was a place to escape from the worldly problems. These days we have TV and the Internet.
However, when you are an illiterate farmer Joe, you look for any escape. You have no money for theater, books are out of the question and your only free hour is on a Sunday. To make matters worse, your 5th child has just kicked the bucket. Plus, you never met your mother cause she died giving birth to you at the tender age of 13.
With no mother, no children and a sick wife, Farmer Joe gazes at the Virgin Mary. She stands for everything he has lost. She is both his mother and his wife. The fertility he seeks for his wife is inside her. This pure being was worthy enough to give birth to the Son of God. She is the only mother you have ever known. She forgives all. She is mankind's lawyer. Her mercy balances out God's justice. You can see now, the appeal of the Virgin Mary.
Now, that I finally explained the Virgin Mary to you, we can get this show on the road. The first Painting is called "The Holy Family". This is the earthly trinity of the Virgin, Baby Jesus and Joseph. Well, those are their Greek names. This is how it should go. The Trinity hosts Miriam, Emanuel and Joshua. Iesu is his Roman name. When you become a Roman citizen, you get a Roman name. I guess this explains the trip to Bethlehem. Jesus needed Joseph to get citizenship. This also was needed to explain how Jesus got a Roman trail under Poncius Pilate. The book of Matthew ties in all the unanswered questions.
Ok, now I am really going to get to explaining the Virgin Mary paintings. Like I just said, Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus. This painting takes place inside the Barn. This was the only room available for Joseph and Mary. Its meant to show the humble origins of the savior of men. By the open window, the we see the gathering masses. The entire scenery is like 15th century Italy. The veil of the Virgin Mary is transparent because it was a new effect rediscovered by Botticelli. The Halos also look really fancy. In any case, Botticelli's painting deserves 5 star rating.
In the next painting, Baby Jesus is sleeping while holding onto his mother's veil. The Baby does not look too much like a newborn. Its more like a two year old. Well, during the Renaissance days they started using models. A two year old was controllable enough to make him pose. The baby is also sleeping on top of Joseph's lap. Joseph is smiling while looking at the baby. As for the Virgin, she is adoring the Son of God. Her dress has a lot of fancy lacing. The Hay in the barn is also fancied up. Behind Joseph, we can see the flight into Egypt. Its like a sequence of event. Behind the Virgin, the shepherds are coming to worship Christ. Anyhow, this painting deserves 5 star rating.
The next painting is called "The Adoration of the Magi". This one has elements of a group portrait. Many people are dressed like Italians. The scenery is like a ruined Greek temple. The order of those columns is Corinthian. "Orders" are a way of ranking types of Greek Columns. The landscape here is quite expansive. The nearby trees are the ones that look silly. In any case, this painting deserves 5 stars.
The next painting is called "Virgin and Child with Eight Angels". All these angels are holding up lilies, the flower of the Virgin. The four angels on her right are holding up a song book. They are singing sweet melodies. The angels on the left are simply hanging out. One of them is looking down at the viewer. As for the Virgin, her veil is transparent. This time the Virgin and the Baby are both blonde. Her mantle has one star. It alludes to her apocalyptic form. Above her head, there is a crown hovering. In this form, she sits as the Queen of Heaven. Eight angels are tending to her. As usual, the hair and the clothing is really far out there. I think that's all. Lets just move on. Five stars for this Botticelli painting.
The next painting is "The Descent of the Holy Ghost". When the apostles started Speaking tongues, the Virgin was also part of the miracle. Speaking in tongues means speaking in unknown languages. In this painting, the Virgin is at the center of the miracle. Her face looks a bit old. Plus, her veil is similar to those worn by nuns. Botticelli still made emphasis to her fertile belly. Another, five stars for Botticelli.
The next painting is "Madonna and Child with St. John". St. John readied the path for Jesus. He also baptized him. They were cousins who thought of each other as brothers. Since John was older it was up to him to preparer things for Baby Jesus. Anyhow, here St. John is wearing his animal skin. He is receiving blessing from Baby Jesus. The details in this painting are really fancy. There is the golden wall relief, and blue mantle of the Virgin. The landscape is wide and expansive. However, its nothing that distracts the eye from the foreground. Another, 5 stars for Botticelli.
In this one, we have "Madonna and Child with St. John and an Angel" . The angel is the raven haired boy on the right of the Virgin. Toward the right, there is the communion altar. Like icons, these figures are decorated with pink roses. Their hair has quite the cartoon quality about it. You know, those halos are really quite strange. Well, lets just move right along. 5 stars for Botticelli.
The next painting is simply called "The Nativity". You know, St. John was not at the Nativity. On the roof of the barn, there are three angels singing. Outside, some angels are guiding the shepherds toward the barn. The figures of the donkey and the cow have great prominence. In any case, Botticelli deserves another 5 stars.
Above, we see the "Virgin Mary Adoring Sleeping Jesus". The Virgin looks beautiful in the garden of flowers. There are small flowers on the ground and large pretty ones above. Now, that's an adorable little baby. During those days, gardens had rustication. This is a kind of decoration that leaves visible the stones. 5 stars rating.
The next painting shows the "Madonna and Child". His clothing are like those of little Italian Renaissance baby. The background has a mountain with a citadel. Their halos are really pretty. Another, lovely 5 stars.
The next painting is called "Madonna with two Angels" (1468). This time the angels are holding up the baby for the Virgin. Like a regular mother, the Virgin is stroking the lil leg of the baby. All four faces show different angles. Its more of a study of faces. Anyhow, another five stars for Botticelli.
In this one, Botticelli went all out with the details. The attire of the baby and mother are really something else. They are huge and more in your face. The background is really negligible. Anyhow, another five stars.
The next painting has St. John kissing baby Jesus. This kiss contrast well with the betraying kiss given by Judas. All the figures are barefoot because they are stepping on sacred ground. Also, there is the rose bushes. On the shoulders of the Virgin, I see a golden mantle decorated with the infamous seven point stars. Such a mantle is worthy of 5 stars. hehehehe.
The next painting shows the "Madonna and Child with Six Saints" (1470). Each of these saints has their little symbol. The arrangement of the figures is geometrical. The Virgin is balanced by the two female saints at the borders. The floor is filled by two kneeling saints. The background is covered by the last two. They all flank Baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The scenery is also geometrical. The Virgin's halo happens to fall right in front of the semi dome. Overall, they resemble a relief sculpture. Truly, such interesting effect ,that now looks bane in today's standards, is worthy of five stars.
From all of Botticelli's depictions of the Virgin Mary, this is my personal favorite. The lacework and the details are amassing. Truly, a sight to behold. Here she is being crowned Queen of Heaven. Jesus is guiding her quill toward the book she herself is writing. The framing is pretty neat. Truly, Magnificent. 5 stars.
The next painting is called "Madonna in Glory with Seraphim" (1470). You can see the Seraphims all around her. They are those lil angels. I don't know why I am explaining something so simple, but you never know. Oh, well. This shinny painting deserves 5 star rating.
The next painting is called "Madonna with a Book". Its interesting that this Baby Jesus has a the crown of thorns wrapped about his arm. Both Virgin and Child are reading the Bible. They have just actually stopped to stare at each other. It really is adorable. They are inside a study. Their halos are extremely elaborate and original. You know, no one does halos like Botticelli. That's his own original thing. Now artist has ever created such neat original patterns. Anyhow, this painting deserves 5 star rating.
The next painting is called "Madonna of the Rose Garden" (1470). You can see the garden in the background. The golden border is not painted. Its made in such as way that it blends the real architecture with the painting. This deserves 5 star rating.
The next painting is called " Madonna of the Sea". I suppose its called like that because of the sea. Well, port towns are very important. I see a lil boat by the Virgin's right shoulder. The Baby Jesus is pulling his mother's veil in order to give her a flower. Many of the mannerism of the Virgin and Baby are easily recognizable mother child behavior. 5 stars.
The next painting shows the annunciation. To show the angel floating, Botticelli gave the angel an impossible standing position. Its a really interesting effect. This otherworldly effect is brought down to earth by a shadow. This angel is so real that it casts a shadow. Its shadow is fed to the other panel. It is also connected by the heavens. On the far upper left, I see God shining down. Over Micheal's halo, the Virgin's flowers are sprouting. Well, another five stars for this dead painter.
The last painting painting of Part 1, is called "The Mystical Nativity". The scenes are divided in three parts. On the corners of the bottom, some demons are returning to hell. They cannot stand the presence of God and the angels. Between them, angels are mingling with the shepherds. This is shown by the angels hugging and kissing the shepherds like brothers. Its an Italian thing. The middle scene has the angels guiding the shepherds to the barn. Above, we have three angels singing. Even further up, we have a group of dancing angels. They are holding a branch that has a white lace and crown dangling from its roots. Its like a representation of the tree of life. Death departs at the birth of the savior. Truly, such an imagery is worthy of five stars.
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