The Virgin of . . . Our Lady of . . . Madonna of . . . Notre Dame de . . . or Nuestra Señora de . . .
Basic Info
Devotion to Mary has been widespread since the Middle Ages. The official position of the Catholic Church on Mary has always been that she does not have the power to grant the petitions of those who pray to her but that she does have the ear of Jesus and can intercede on behalf of the petitioner with God. Thus in the prayer known as the Hail Mary, the person praying asks Mary to “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” Nevertheless, popular devotion has often held Mary to be capable of more than praying for us. It was not uncommon in the 14th century for miraculous images of Mary to be kept in vaults and removed occasionally to be paraded through the streets when the town faced a dire threat. This kind of power has a theological warrant in that the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant was used in a similar way when enemies approached. Many Christian theologians understood the Ark of the Covenant to be a foreshadowing of Mary holding the New Covenant, Jesus Christ.
Throughout Christian history, Mary has been understood as symbolic of many virtues, has appeared to many Christians, and has been depicted in such moving / miraculous artworks that they become emblematic of her. Usually artworks referring to one of these aspects of Mary bear a title that begins with either “The Virgin of,” “Our Lady of,” “Madonna of,” “Notre Dame de,” or “Nuestra Señora de.” There are too many to name practically in this app, but some general features can be described.
Our Lady of a Virtue (Grace, Perpetual Help, Sorrows, Mercy, etc.) is a common theme such that Catholic churches are often named after one of these and a painting or statue displaying Mary with this virtuous attribute is found in the church.
Our Lady of [a place name where Mary appeared to someone] (Lourdes, Guadalupe, Fatima, etc.) is another common theme in artworks. These artworks usually depict some aspect of the story of the appearance. In most appearances, she delivers a message for the world.
Our Lady of [a place name where an artwork that was important or miraculous first hung] (Loreto, Pompeii, Czestochowa, etc.) is another common occurrence in the art tradition. The original is so important that others copy it for display elsewhere. The copies don’t always bear close resemblance to the original.
What to Look For
This list presumes that you know the name of the piece and can determine whether it is related to a virtue or a place. It does not presume that you know whether the place is where Mary appeared to someone or where a famous artwork was housed.
- Mary’s physical appearance and attitude (floating, beautiful, caring, virtuous, loving, faithful, etc.)
- Whether other people are depicted in the work
- The physical appearance and attitude of the others (praying, kneeling, bowing, saintly, humble, important, etc.)
- Indications of place or apparition event (buildings, gardens, etc.)
Questions to Focus a General Interpretation
Does the artwork depict the named virtue in such a way that it would be recognizable without the title?
Does the artwork seem to tell a story of an appearance? Is the person to whom Mary is appearing important or humble? What might this say about Mary?
Questions to Guide a Personal Interpretation
These artworks are often made to meet the demands of popular devotional practice. Does the artwork move you to be devoted to some particular aspect of Mary or a message she delivered during an appearance?
Does this artwork offer you a depiction of a virtue that you could imitate in your own life?
Questions to Suggest a Historical Interpretation
Does the artwork depict a named virtue that might have been especially important in the artist’s time and place?
Does the artwork seem to tell a story of an appearance? Is the person to whom Mary is appearing important or humble? What might this say about the time at which the artwork was made? What might it say about the time when the appearance occurred?
