Legends of the Madonna, as represented in the fine artsForming the third series of Sacred and legendary art . down from the mountains, with whom he returned to thestable. But when they entered it was filled with light greaterthan the sun at noon-day; and as the light decreased andthey were able to open their eyes, they beheld Mary sitting THE NATIVITY. 221 there with her Infant at her bosom. And the Hebrew womanbeing amazed said, Can this be true? and Marj answered, It is true; as there is no child like unto my son. so thereis no woman like unto his mother. These circumstances we find in some
Legends of the Madonna, as represented in the fine artsForming the third series of Sacred and legendary art . down from the mountains, with whom he returned to thestable. But when they entered it was filled with light greaterthan the sun at noon-day; and as the light decreased andthey were able to open their eyes, they beheld Mary sitting THE NATIVITY. 221 there with her Infant at her bosom. And the Hebrew womanbeing amazed said, Can this be true? and Marj answered, It is true; as there is no child like unto my son. so thereis no woman like unto his mother. These circumstances we find in some of the early repre-sentations, more or less modified by the taste of the artist. Ihave seen, for instance, an old German print, in which theVirgin in the posture and guise of worshippers, kneelsbefore her Child as usual; while the background exhibits ahilly country, and Joseph with a lantern in his hand ishelping a woman over a stile. Sometimes there are twowomen, and then the second is always Mary Salome, who,according to a passage in the same popular authority, visitedthe mother in her ho^r of Ancient Nativity. 222 LEGENDS OF THE MADONNA. Isaiah, i. 3. The angelic choristers in the sky, or perched upon theroof of the stable, sing the Gloria in Excelsis Deo; they arenever, I believe, omitted, and in early pictures are alwaysthree in number; but in later pictures, the mystic threebecome a chorus of musicians. Joseph is generally sitting by,leaning on his staff in profound meditation, or asleep as oneovercome by fatigue; or with a taper or a lantern in his hand,to express the night-time. Among the accessories, the ox and the ass are introduction of these animals rests on an antique traditionmentioned by St. Jerome, and also on two texts of prophecy: The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his masters crib;and Habakkuk, iii. 4., is rendered in the Vulgate, He shall liedown between the ox and the ass. From the sixth century,
Size: 1226px × 2038px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade18, booksubjectmaryblessedvirginsaint
