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Allegory with a Virgin (Allegory of Chastity), 1479-1480Hans Memling, (b. ca. 1440, Seligenstadt, d. 1494, Bruges)
Height: 38 cm (14.96 in.), Width: 32 cm (12.6 in.)
oil on board
Wonderfully weird image. I can't seem to find out too much about it thought. The virgin/chastity aspect is pretty straightforward due to the elevation of our dear virgin upon the craggy rock (amythest) I will, as I have surely often done, admit my lack of knowledge when it comes to iconography in art. I do think I need to procure myself a good book and spend some time making up for this lack.
A wee bit about the painting: http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/m/memling/2middle3/15allego.html
1 comment:
Well, as far as symbolism goes, the figure of the triad, or three occurs here. The triad is associated in many cultures with feminism, and you also have the Christian trinity involved with it. Also, psychologically, three is associated with the male genitalia, which may be a symbolic reference here, too.
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