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Video: What secrets about the young Virgin Mary were revealed by a medieval artist: "The Adolescence of Our Lady" by Zurbaran
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
The Adolescence of Our Lady is a painting by Francisco de Zurbaran from 1658-1660, which is now in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. An ordinary Spanish girl is actually the prototype of the young Mother of God. And the prototype of the portrait was the artist's daughter.
About the artist
Francisco de Zurbaran (baptized November 7, 1598 - August 27, 1664) is a Spanish painter known for his religious paintings of monks, nuns and martyrs, as well as still lifes. Zurbaran earned the nickname "Spanish Caravaggio" for his powerful and realistic use of the chiaroscuro. This is a peculiar, deeply original artist, whose work is all rooted in Spain. The artist's literary tastes were formed under the influence of Spanish medieval art, paintings and prints by old masters. Zurbaran's paintings are usually monumental, measured in compositional rhythm and sonority of color. Describing biblical subjects on his canvases, Zurbaran strives to be authentic and irresistible, and draws inspiration from life itself.
He first realized his reputation as an artist by completing a large commission from the abbot of the Dominican monastery of San Pablo el Real in Seville. On January 17, 1626, Zurbaran signed an agreement with him, agreeing to create 21 paintings within 8 months. Fourteen of them depicted the life of Saint Dominic, others represented Saint Bonaventure, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Dominic and four servants of the Church. This order preceded other significant works of the artist. On August 29, 1628, the Murcedarians of Seville commissioned Zurbaran to create 22 more paintings for their monastery. In 1629, the elders of Seville invited Zurbaran to move to the city forever: the artist's paintings gained immense fame and, with their invitation, the inhabitants wanted to popularize their city. He accepted the invitation and moved to Seville with his wife Beatriz de Morales, three children from his first marriage and eight servants.
By 1630, Zurbaran was appointed artist of Philip IV. An interesting story has survived: once the king put his hand on the artist's shoulder, saying: "Painter to the king, the king of painters."
Adolescence of the Mother of God
The Hermitage "The Adolescence of the Mother of God" ("The Adolescence of the Madonna") dates back to the late 1650s-1660s. This is the late period of the artist's work. The chief curator of the Louvre painting department, Jeanine Batikl, suggested that Zurbaran's daughter Manuela served as a model for the Virgin Mary.
The viewer sees in the picture a girl sitting on a wooden chair in the process of prayer. Her childish round face with wide open and unusually deep eyes captivates and hypnotizes everyone looking at her. Undoubtedly, the eyes of the heroine are the main focus of the picture. They are not childishly serious and extremely spiritual. The silhouette of the girl fits perfectly into the format of the picture, the composition is clearly verified, the draperies of the clothes are carefully worked out, and the accessories are kept to a minimum. The girl is dressed in a red dress with a green pillow and a white scarf on her knees. The heroine's hair is neatly styled, her cheeks are covered with a slight blush. This face is very foldable, gentle and neat. The girl's thin white hands are folded in a prayer gesture. The wrist and neck of the dress are decorated with gold jewelry ornament. A master of monumental forms, Zurbaran brilliantly crafted the details. At first glance, this is a really cute Spanish girl. But there is something unearthly, magical in her. The touching meekness with which she turned her gaze to the sky, and her face illuminated with light, speak of her chosenness and humility to the upcoming trials. Light plays a really dominant role here: sparks in the eyes, and the face illuminated by light, and the depicted halo around the girl's head (a subtle and gentle glow) are important. All these rays of divine light point exactly to the girl, they suggest that she is the chosen one among other virgins.
The plot in the picture, also known as "The Youth of Mary", was taken by the artist not from the Gospel, but borrowed from the apocryphal "Proto-Gospel of James" (Chapter X) and "The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew" (Chapter VI). Mary was the subject of surprise for the whole people … At three years old, she walked sedately and so completely devoted herself to praising the Lord that everyone was amazed and admired. She did not look like a baby, but seemed already grown up and full of years - with such diligence and constancy she offered prayers. Her face shone like snow, and it was difficult to look at it. She diligently handled wool handicrafts, and everything that adult women could not do, She showed them, even at such a tender age. She made it a rule for herself to indulge in prayer from morning until three o'clock and engage in manual work from three o'clock to nine (Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew. Ch. VI.)
The image of the Mother of God in adolescence turned out to be truly pure, innocent. Interestingly, in 1985, the Ministry of Communications of the USSR issued a postage stamp with a reproduction of this painting, the face value of the stamp is 4 kopecks (No. 5597 according to the catalog of the CFA).
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