The Madonna in art . y and Bel-gium, we find the Virgin almost invari-ably wearing a crown, whether she sits ona throne, or in a pastoral better example could be named than 60 THE MADONNA IN ART. the celebrated Holbein Madonna, ofDarmstadt, known chiefly through thecopy in the Dresden Gallery. Here theimposing height of the Virgin is renderedstill more impressive by a high, goldencrown, richly embossed and edged withpearls. Beneath this her blond hair fallsloosely over her beautiful neck, and gleamsoh the blue garment hanging over hershoulders. Strong and tender, this noblefigur
The Madonna in art . y and Bel-gium, we find the Virgin almost invari-ably wearing a crown, whether she sits ona throne, or in a pastoral better example could be named than 60 THE MADONNA IN ART. the celebrated Holbein Madonna, ofDarmstadt, known chiefly through thecopy in the Dresden Gallery. Here theimposing height of the Virgin is renderedstill more impressive by a high, goldencrown, richly embossed and edged withpearls. Beneath this her blond hair fallsloosely over her beautiful neck, and gleamsoh the blue garment hanging over hershoulders. Strong and tender, this noblefigure sums up the finest elements in theMadonna art of the North. A simple and lovely form for theMadonnas crown is the narrow goldenfillet set with pearls, singly or in is placed over the Virgins brow justat the edge of the hair, which is otherwiseunconfined. This is seen on Madonnasby Van Eyck (Frankfort), Diirer (wood-cut of 1513), Memling (Bruges), Schon-gauer (Munich). In the enthroned Madonna by Quen-. QUENTIN MASSYS.— MADONNA AND CHILD. THE MADONNA ENTHRONED. 63 tin Massys, in the Berlin Gallery, we havemany typical characteristics of Northernart. The throne itself is exceedingly rich,ornamented with agate pillars with em-bossed capitals of gold. The Virgin hasthe fine features and earnest, tenderexpression which recalls earlier Flemishpainters. Her dress falls in rich, heavyfolds upon the marble pavement. But, aswith Van Eyck and Memling, Holbeinand Schongauer, fine clothes do not con-ceal her girlish simplicity or her lovingheart. A low table, spread with food,stands at the left,— a curious domesticelement to introduce, and thoroughlyNorthern in realism. Considered as a symbol of the exalta-tion of motherhood, there is no reasonwhy the throne should go out of fashion;but if it is to appear, it must be usedintelligently, and with some adaptation topresent modes of thought, not servilely 64 THE MADONNA IN ART. imitated from the forms of a by-gone i
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade18, booksubjectmaryblessedvirginsaint
