How did the representation of Mary in Italy differ from other places in medieval times?

This portion of the exhibit will be focusing on the theme of how Mary the mother of god was portrayed in the 1400s and in different areas and empires. Comparisons will be made between Rome, Byzantine, Spain, and Middle Eastern medieval art. 

In Jewish prophecies, Mary was an adulteress and in Egypt a loving mother with purity and a goddess.[1] In Grecian and Syriac beliefs, she was rewarded for her life of virginity and purity.[2] In Islam, Mary was the holiest woman in the Quran, and her name was mentioned more than in the Bible.[3] In Christianity, Mary was Theotokos, Blachernitissa, Hodegetria, the Virgin, and the protector of cities. Christian women looked up to Mary as virgins and mothers; men related to Mary through penance and prayer, being priests, heads of families, or even artists.[3] Christianity had many different roles for Mary during the medieval time period which spread across the regions. However, the name that came up the most in each of the religions and cultures was Virgin Mary and Mother of God. 

In this specific painting, Mary is portrayed as the Mother of God and the Virgin. The viewer can see that this painting portrays Mary as such because she is not doing any hand gestures of blessing or prayer and she is holding baby Jesus. 

1. Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary, (Yale University Press, 2009), Miri Rubin 40.

2. Mother of God, 40.

3. Mother of God, 268.