C l a s s i c a l

05

The contrasting themes and traditions in Classical and Baroque Sculpture

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Category 3

Mysterious blackness

Absence of artist's explanation so only suggest intentions.

Possible theories:

-Illustrate female protagonist in Song of Songs ("I am black but beautiful")

-To link the Black Virgin to the earth-goddess. Many goddesses depicted as black (Artemis of

Ephesus, Isis, Ceres). Possible that these images recycled into Catholic worship

-Mother and Child representing someone else, Mary as "The Woman", earth-woman concept in new-Adam Creation, "From the virgin earth Adam, Christ from the virgin".

-Aramaic black means 'sorrowful'. Links the Blessed Mother to Isis who was called 'sorrowing' in her search for Osiris.