XII
(Detail)
The Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, has for over nineteen centuries represented to Christendom all the ideal qualities of womanhood. In her character, as revealed in St. Luke’s gospel, we read of her noble, trustful humility in accepting the message of the Annunciation; of her decision and prudence shown in her visit to Elizabeth; of her intellectual power as manifested in the song of the Magnificat; of the contemplative nature with which she watched the growth of Jesus; of her maternal devotion throughout her son’s ministry,—and of her sublime fortitude and faith at his crucifixion.[22] Such was the woman so highly favored of God, she whom the angel called “blessed among women.”
Art has pictured for us many imaginary scenes from the life of Mary. The most familiar and best loved subject is that of her motherhood, where she is seen with her babe in her arms. There are other subjects, less common, showing her as a glorified figure in mid-air as in a vision. One such is that called the Immaculate Conception, which the Spanish painter Murillo so frequently repeated.[23] Another is the Assumption, representing her at her death as borne by angels to heaven.
The “Golden Legend ” relates how “ the right fair among the daughters of Jerusalem … full of charity and dilection” was “joyously received” into glory. “The angels were glad, the archangels enjoyed, the thrones sang, the dominations made melody, the principalities harmonized, the potestates harped, cherubim and seraphim sang laudings and praisings.” Also, “the angels were with the apostles singing, and replenished all the land with marvelous sweetness.” [24]
The Assumption of the Virgin is the subject of a noble painting by Titian, one of the most celebrated pictures in the world. A group of apostles stand on the earth gazing after the receding figure of the Virgin as she soars into the air on a wreath of cloud- borne angels. From the upper air the Heavenly Father floats downward with his angels to receive her. As the canvas is very large, over twenty-two feet in height, a small reproduction of the entire picture is unsatisfactory, and our illustration gives us the heart of the composition for careful study.
