MADONNA DEL PARTO E DUE DEVOTI

When one typically thinks of Mother Mary, one typically reflects on mysteries such as the Immaculate Conception or of the Assumption, where Mary, from a position of her holiness, gazes down on us. However, I ask you, gentle reader, to ponder a different scene. In this painting, Mary, with her soft, tender, motherly eyes, gazes into your soul. When I first looked at this painting, I was astonished by how direct Mary’s gaze was. I was used to such an impersonal gaze from her in artwork, whether her eyes were looking up at Heaven or at Christ. I do not mean to say that her gazing at these things is bad in any way. On the contrary, in these images she directs us to what we as Catholic Christians should focus our own lives on. However, the image in this article made me stop immediately and gaze back at her.  

When I did gaze back, I received even deeper insights. Here was the Queen of Heaven sitting on a couch, inviting me to spend time with her. She has two adorers and angles gazing focused on her, however she chooses to focus her attention on YOU. In one hand, she holds a lily, symbolic of her immaculate purity; in the other, either the Sacred Scriptures or a book of prayer. Her posture, reclining, invites a little child to come sit on her lap as she both reads to him and shows a beautiful flower. Undoubtedly, she is telling him all about the child in her womb. However, even with her approachable demeanor and personal tender gaze, not one ounce of her queenliness is lost. She is adorned with a halo of gold and a crown, and two angels hold an ornate tapestry behind her. Furthermore, she is wearing a large flowing cloak (which no doubt many children in Heaven will be playing inside). The two adorers, dressed in cardinal’s red are so much smaller compared to Mother Mary. At first, this might cause some consternation. If Mother Mary does not look at the cardinals, how could she look at someone like me? How could someone with so much honor and someone who is so much holier than me choose to gaze directly at me and treat me as if I am worth something? But it is only because Mary has so much grace that she is able to gaze and love the way she does. If she did not exist with all her gifts and talents, all humanity would be worse off. 

Some might think that writing about a piece of art dated from the 14-15th century is a bit antiquated for a culture article. However, I  disagree. Our culture as Catholics should take from the tradition that has been handed down from the Apostles to us, and present it to the world around us who desperately need it. All need Mother Mary’s personal gaze to pierce them and ultimately catalyze their soul’s transformation.