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Minderbroedersrui / Minderbroedersstraat

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Onbevlekt Ontvangen

House Madonna

The mother of Jesus Christ
(Wikipedia)

Geneviève Hardy
2007

Antwerpen / Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Onbevlekt Ontvangen

Description

Stone statue of St. Mary standing on a crescent moon and a snake, on a sphere flanked by two putti holding a cloth with flowers? The present statue is sculpted after the statue by Jan van Arendonck, which was on this spot from 1855 to c. 1913-14, when it was replaced with a statue, which felt down in 1981-82.

Depictions of Saint Mary

Saint Mary, as the mother of Jesus Christ, has a central role in the life of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic veneration of her as the Blessed Virgin Mary has grown over time both in importance and manifestation, not only in prayer but in art, poetry and music. She is usually depicted as a beautiful young woman, with a (blue) mantle. In the majority of the depictions she is having the Infant Jesus in her arms or on her lap.
Attributes of Saint Mary:

A crown of 12 stars (Relevation 12:1), sometimes 7 stars.
A royal crown, sometimes also a scepter: Mary Queen of Heaven.
Standing on a globe.
Standing on the crescent moon (Relevation 12:1).
Crushing the serpent (sometimes a dragon) under her feet. The serpent can have an apple in his mouth (Genesis 3:15). A special depiction is where Jesus impales the serpent with a spear-cross.
Flowers: Lily (symbol of virginity and purity), roses (Mary's mystical participation in the Holy Trinity as Heaven's Rose or Mystical Rose), iris or "Sword Lily" (emblem of Our Lady's Seven Sorrows), fleur-de-lis (resembling both the Iris and the Madonna Lily)

The Infant Jesus sometimes has some attributes too:

a crown and/or a royal orb (usually in combination with Mary as Queen of Heaven)
making a blessing gesture

Sculptor

Geneviève Hardy, Belgian sculptress in Borgerhout.

Sources & Information

Wim Strecker et al., Madonna en heiligenbeelden in de Antwerpse binnenstad (Antwerpen: Voor Kruis en Beeld vzw/BAI, 2010), nr. 142.

Location (N 51°13'21" - E 4°24'15")

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Item Code: bean048; Photograph: 26 March 2014
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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