Mary with Child
Dirk Bouts, Madonna and Child on a grass bench, c.1470 (detail) at the exhibition "Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden and the discovery of the world" , Enschede, Rijksmuseum Twente
Performances in which Mary is depicted in a garden-like environment, such as on this painting, from the beginning of the fifteenth century refer to a verse from the Song of Solomon, in which the bride is likened to a "decided court and a closed Garden ". Medieval theologians brought this idea of a hortus conclusus related to the virginity of Mary.
The privacy of the garden is here symbolized by the landscaped wall on which Mary is seated and through the wall in the background. The open port would depict access to heaven. The old man on the gate is Joseph. In him is perhaps the homely service honored. Also the peacock on the wall is not without significance. He symbolizes the immortality of Christ.
The game of the Christ Child on Mary's lap can also be interpreted symbolically. The cherry in his right hand was seen as the fruit of paradise and symbol of heaven, the bird as the human soul.
see also: pienw.blogspot.nl/2014/12/enschede-rijksmuseum-twente-de....
Mary with Child
Dirk Bouts, Madonna and Child on a grass bench, c.1470 (detail) at the exhibition "Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden and the discovery of the world" , Enschede, Rijksmuseum Twente
Performances in which Mary is depicted in a garden-like environment, such as on this painting, from the beginning of the fifteenth century refer to a verse from the Song of Solomon, in which the bride is likened to a "decided court and a closed Garden ". Medieval theologians brought this idea of a hortus conclusus related to the virginity of Mary.
The privacy of the garden is here symbolized by the landscaped wall on which Mary is seated and through the wall in the background. The open port would depict access to heaven. The old man on the gate is Joseph. In him is perhaps the homely service honored. Also the peacock on the wall is not without significance. He symbolizes the immortality of Christ.
The game of the Christ Child on Mary's lap can also be interpreted symbolically. The cherry in his right hand was seen as the fruit of paradise and symbol of heaven, the bird as the human soul.
see also: pienw.blogspot.nl/2014/12/enschede-rijksmuseum-twente-de....