The evolution of Christian iconography can be explored through various works which date back to the first millennia. Among the noteworthy works which are displayed in Egypt and Rome are Mary Nursing the Infant Jesus and Virgin and Child with Saints and Angels. Both works carry different meanings and historical and cultural contexts. The works can be used to determine the characteristics and the further development of Christian iconography. In this case, while the first work serves as a reverence of Mary, the icon serves as a depiction of flawed female nature.
In Rome, the sacred place where the work is located, a historical context is essential. During the second to the fourth centuries CE, paganism played a crucial role in the art forms and frequently involved symbolism, which can be observed in the Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome (Peters 100). The Virgin Mary and her newborn Jesus are shown in a severely damaged and dim figure on a portion of the walls, which is thought to represent the Mother of God. From a cultural perspective, it is believed that the representation of Mary breastfeeding was taken in the timeframe when Christianity first appeared, which was accompanied by well-known belief systems like the Egyptian deity Isis, whose popularity peaked in the first centuries BCE (Peters 100). In Egypt, depictions of Maria lactans, or Nursing Mary, additionally known as Galaktotrophusa, or Suckling Mother, were common (Peters 100). The representation of the goddess Isis breastfeeding the child Horus was a common iconographic theme (Peters 100). Thus, Mary is a symbol of a commonly accepted Isis.
The representation of the sitting mother was adaptable, with minor adjustments, that it was possible to depict other events, including feeding the child. With the chest turned toward the viewing audience and the forearms reared and tilted laterally to grip and thus exhibit the child at the breast, innovative visual aspects of affection between woman and child could be examined (Harley 392). In Roman culture, the model was widely used in a variety of visual situations.
When it comes to another work, it is located in Saint Catherine’s monastery in Egypt. The Enthroned Mother of God with Angels and Saints is among the location’s magnificent possessions of sixth and seventh-century iconography. The Theotokos (Virgin Mary) is seen cradling the Christ child in the artwork, which represents one of the most well-known relics in the series (Heskin 2). Saint Theodore is on her right, while Saint George is on her left (Heskin 2). Two angels hover above this gathering of individuals, staring intently into the skies, where God reaches out His hands to heal (Heskin 2). From the historical context, it can be found that the iconography employed different techniques and established other favorable images.
Similarly, in the cultural context, Mary was viewed in different lights. She was granted the honorific name Theotokos, which means Mother of God, in earlier centuries (Heskin 3). As the carrier of the Savior Jesus Christ, she was raised to deity by this epithet, which highlighted the feminine attribute of maternity (Heskin 3). However, Mary was compared to Eve in Genesis as the Second Eve in the years immediately after the establishment of Christianity (Heskin 3). Mary acted as a representation of redemption in opposition to Eve by substituting her devotion for Eve’s transgression and therefore surpassing her flawed feminine character (Heskin 3). Therefore, the cultural perception of the characters has shifted in iconography.
Hence, the icon depicts the imperfect character of women, while the painting of Mary nursing serves as a tribute to women. Pagan symbolism was commonly used in art forms, and it played a significant role. From a cultural standpoint, it is thought that popular belief systems like that of the Egyptian goddess Isis were present alongside the depiction of Mary nursing. Another piece of art can be seen in the convent of Saint Catherine in Egypt. It is clear from the historical background that iconography made use of many strategies and created additional positive perceptions. The characters’ iconography has changed in response to the cultural setting.
Works Cited
Harley, Felicity. “Visual Apocrypha: The Case of Mary and the Magi in Early Christian Rome.” Apocryphal and Esoteric Sources in the Development of Christianity and Judaism. Brill, 2021, pp. 383-410.
Heskin, S. F. “Portrayals of Gender from a Monastic Perspective in Late Antiquity-Gender Identity seen through the lens of the Enthroned Mother of God with Angels and Saints from The Holy Monastery of St. Catharine, Sinai.” Academia Letters, 2021, 1-6. Web.
Peters, Danielle M. “A Transformative Encounter: A Historical and Theological Reflection on the Contribution of Marian Imagery to the Capacity for Sacramental Vision.” Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart, edited by Elizabeth T. Groppe, Catholic University of America Press, 2020, pp.97-119.