The Life of Virgin Mary. Iconographic Representations in the Heritage of the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant Cover Image

Viața Maicii Domnului. Reprezentări iconografice din patrimoniul Muzeului Național al Țăranului Român
The Life of Virgin Mary. Iconographic Representations in the Heritage of the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant

Author(s): Letiţia-Mirela Cristea
Subject(s): Anthropology, Social Sciences, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology
Published by: Editura Palatul Culturii
Keywords: Virgin Mary; Saint Joachim; Saint Anne; Saint Josef; the Nativity of the Virgin Mary; the Assumption of the Virgin Mary; icons; the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant;

Summary/Abstract: Essential figure of the New Testament, the Virgin Mary is the most important character present in the icons found in each home. Her exemplary life is confirmed by several passages of the Holy Books of the Apostles, to which is added information provided by the Apocryphal Gospels, which converted her, in the eyes of Christian people, into their Mother, to whom they pray in every moment of their lives. The few known moments of her life were represented iconographically, the craftsman adding, in addition to Byzantine influences, several elements related to his environment, that are usually found in his everyday surroundings. The result was the creation of very sensitive icons through which spectators feel the connection with the experiences of the Mother of God, the evoked moments being for the craftsman, either anonymous or known, reasons to express his own feelings.

  • Issue Year: 2021
  • Issue No: 21
  • Page Range: 153-176
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Romanian