Hey everyone!

So I went to the Uffizi Gallery the other day… and fell completely in love.

I saw so many beautiful things, and I will never forget how many of them took my breath away.

What also stunned me, you ask? How many of them reflected what I’ve learned about motherhood ideals, in the Independent Study I’m doing here in Florence.

Below are two Madonna paintings that begged me to look a little closer:

“Adoration of the Christ Child with the Young St. John the Baptist”  is a painting by Jacopo Del Sallaio, depicting Mary as a humble and wise communicator. Mary looks knowingly at baby Jesus, while he lays on her cloak.

I think that Sallaio’s choice to have them share the cloak is an interesting detail that emphasizes a couple themes:

First, that Jesus lived a humble life.

 

The stories of his birth, life, and death were not luxurious ones. They were instead layered with discomfort and sacrifice. He came from a poor family, who did not experience glamor in the way you’d typically associate with Gods.

 

Sallaio emphasized Jesus’ humility through this cloak. Instead of providing him with something separate to sleep on,  Jesus lays on the bottom of Mary’s. This mirrors the night of his birth, in which they shared a manger in fear.

 

Second, that there was a strong bond between Mary and her son.

This cloak not only directly ties the two, but also obstructs John the Baptist at a harsh angle. I don’t think this was done to literally cut him off, but instead to emphasize the strong bond between Jesus and Mary, something that could not be interrupted by a third party, even if it was someone that important.

 

Also – notice the serenity of this painting’s background. It is really rural, with the rolling green hills, tranquil water, and softly blurred horizon.

 

This peaceful nature parallels Jesus and the Madonna, holiness and heaven. This is accentuated by the light above all three of their heads. In Renaissance paintings, artists would paint these halos to indicate a subject’s sanctity.

 

But keep in mind…

 

This is all under a very dusky sky.

 

From my interpretation, this contrast of beauty and bleakness of the background is a reference to the goldfinch, the flower Jesus is holding. The goldfinch is a symbol of death, which “prefigures the Passion of Jesus.”

 

I actually only figured out what the Passion of Jesus meant this month.

 

My roommate was telling me she used to be in Passion Plays at her high school, and at first, I thought they sounded lighthearted and fun…

…so you can imagine my surprise when she clarified they literally acted out the death of Jesus.

These plays were done to “help the early church detect the pattern of God’s presence, by retelling the passion story and placing themselves in it.”

 

It seems counterintuitive for those of us who are not religious/familiar with religious themes, because we associate passion with life and positivity. But the word, when used in the phrase “Passion of Jesus,” refers to his “suffering, enduring, and bearing” on Earth. The goldfinch and Passion tell stories of  “passive and active dimensions of human suffering.”

 

The more you know!

Also…

 

There are two towering trees in the back. One behind Jesus and the other behind Mary.

Trees in Renaissance paintings are used to represent sin, since the serpent came to Eve through one.

Interestingly, in the Renaissance, trees with a nude woman next to them were used to represent Eve, and trees with fully clothed women represented Mary.

 

All that being said, I believe that these trees mirror the same sentiment as the goldfinch:

 

That even through the preciousness of their lives- represented by nature and the beautiful cloak- there is suffering – represented by the barren trees and the goldfinch Jesus grasps.

 

In this painting, Jesus is depicted as strong and wise, which we see through his direct and sincere eye contact with Mary. To me, this indicates that they share an understanding: that he is the son of God, and will die when he is older for the world’s sin…

 

I know, I know. This may seem like a stretch just based on some eye contact.

 

But the goldfinch, background, facial expressions, and overall message of sin tie this idea together for me. I believe that Sallaio created a wise and understanding Baby Jesus, who knew his secular duties before he could even form the words to express them.

 

For me, this ties into Renaissance motherhood ideals of being the “teacher” instead of the “doer.”

In those days, women were not allowed to learn. They were instead taught only enough to raise educated young boys, and girls who could become mothers.While the term “republican mother” didn’t come about until the 18th century, I think it is a good way to describe the message in this painting. Through Mary’s facial expression, it seems that she and Jesus have a shared understanding- that Mary the mother is the bearer and raiser of God , and Jesus the son is the fulfiller of the prophecy.

“Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels,” by Hans Memling shared similar symbols, but different ideas.

Although the cherry and apple represent the same “sin and sacrifice” as the goldfinch and trees, I believe Memling depicted Mary in a less all-knowing light, instead showing her as more complacent, instead of willingly active in Jesus’ birth, life, and death.

 

Instead of having a wise and pointed expression, Mary’s eyes seem a bit glazed over and forlorn. She is looking away- not at her son, either of the angels, or either of the symbols.

That being said, she does seem like a trusting mother, because she is allowing gifts and company from the angels around her. But there is still a vacancy in her eyes.

 

I believe it’s because she’s upset over having no control.

 

She has no control over whether her son will accept this sin.

 

She had no choice to conceive, give birth to, or raise him, let alone accept the fact he will live and die for the sins of this world.

When looking at the painting through this lens, it is more understandable why she seems troubled.

 

This represents the motherhood ideal in the Renaissance, where women were expected to be mothers, even if it wasn’t of any interest. There would be strict social pressure and authoritative incentives to bear righteous children as soon as you were of a reproductive age. From my interpretation, Mary is mirroring the mothers who were less enthralled over this lifestyle.

To me, Jesus seems to be a more realistic baby in this painting. He is reaching out his hand at the apple in a childlike way. He is caressed by Mary on his side and foot, so he appears safe everywhere except for his hands, which are both occupied by symbols of sin.

 

There were many other paintings of Mary and Jesus throughout the Uffizi, and countless other pieces of art that would be of interest to so many different people. So if you ever get the chance, I would 100% encourage you to go.

 

Well, I will see you next time. Thank you for reading! Ciao!

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

The Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Donald Senior. 1985.

Kyra Belán, The Virgin in Art. 2018