Today is a major feast for Catholics – the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. This feast celebrates the doctrine that the Virgin Mary, though conceived in a ‘normal manner’ by her parents, was preserved from the moment of her conception from the stain of Original Sin. The feast was instituted in 1476 by Pope Sixtus IV, though the belief is much older than that; and the doctrine was not formally defined until 1854 by Pius IX.

In Catholic art, there is a very specific iconography that accompanies depictions of Virgin that represent this singular honor. It developed out of the desire to depict what is, essentially, an abstract concept. Tradionally, Mary is depicted wearing a white robe (symbolizing purity) with a blue cloak (blue is the traditional color associated with the Virgin). She is depicted in the clouds and / or standing on a globe. Beneath her feet she crushes a serpent (a reference to Gen. 3:15); or she stands upon a moon and is surrounded by a ring of stars (a reference to the woman ‘clothed with the sun’ in Rev. 12:1-12). In addition to numerous paintings, this iconography is  incorporated into the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the ‘Miraculous Medal’, based upon the visions of St. Catherine Labouré, a French nun, in 1830.

And so,  here are few pieces of artwork depicting the Immaculate Conception. Click on them to see/ download them full-sized.

"The Immaculate Conception" by Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1618-1682), oil on canvas, 1678.

"Mary Immaculate", Ignaz Gunther, painted limewood, c. 1750-1760.

"The Immaculate Conception", Joao Nepomuceno Correia e Castro, 1700s.

Peace,

Bekka

Tags: .jpg, angels, art, Catholic iconography, color, daily public domain, DPD, free, Genesis, graphics, image, Immaculate Conception, lady, Mary, painting, PD, public domain, Revelation, sculpture, serpent, Virgin Mary, Wiki Commons, Wikipedia, woman

Immediately following All Saints Day on the Catholic Church calendar is All Souls Day. This is the day that is traditionally set aside to pray for the souls in Purgatory, though it is also to pray for all souls – saved and unsaved.

Today’s image is a of a traditional rendering of the Virgin Mary helping the souls in Purgatory. I chose it because it is very dramatic – with the calm Virgin above the very animated suffering souls in the flames of Purgatory, looking to her for relief. This image is a public domain photograph from Wikipedia Commons, of an 18th carved relief, taken in the Basilica of the Assumption in Lekeitio, Spain. As always, click the image to see/download it full-sized.

18th c. carved relief of the Virgin helping the souls in Purgatory, Basilica of the Assumption, Lekeitio, Spain. Public domain photograph from Wikipedia Commons.

Peace,
Bekka

Tags: All Souls, Autumn, Catholic, Christian, color, daily public domain, DPD, Fall, feast day, free, graphics, image, PD, photograph, public domain, Purgatory, Virgin Mary, Wiki Commons, Wikipedia

Today, in the Catholic Church, is the Feast of All Saints – not just cannonized ones. That said, I thought that a 15th c. illustration of Heaven, with its saints, might be in order. This is a image I found on Wiki Commons.

Today’s image comes from Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry), a 15th c. Book of Hours. Books of Hours were essentially prayerbooks, used almost exclusively by those rich enough to afford to have one made (at least until the advent of printing) and therefore rich enough to have the leisure time to use them. They consisted of prayers to be said at different points during the day, as well as calendars of feast days / holy days, the office of the dead, and prayers to the owner’s patron saint(s). Les Très Riches Heures was commissioned around 1410, and consists of over 400 pages – of which more than a quarter contain large illuminated ‘miniatures’. It is an extrodinary glimpse of life in the 15th c. It now resides as Ms. 65 in the Musée Condé, Chantilly, France.

Today’s image is Folio 126r, depicting “Paradise”. Christ, enthroned with His queenly but deferential Mother, is surrounded by a multitude of saints that include a bishop (front center, in the decorated cope), a monk (next to the bishop, in a black habit), and a crusader (on the front right, in the red tabard with the white cross). At the bottom are a host of angels, some with instruments.

Paradise, Folio 126r, from "Les Tres Riches Heures de du Duc de Berry", 15th c.

Click on the image to download it full-sized.

Peace,

Bekka

Tags: 1410, 15th century, angels, Book of Hours, Christ, Christian, color, daily public domain, DPD, free, graphics, Heaven, illumination, image, medieval, painting, Paradise, public domain, Renaissance, saints, Virgin Mary, Wiki Commons, Wikipedia