An interesting Marian painting we haven’t seen before! “The Madonna of the Rose” (1885) by Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret. See how the illumination around the head of the child Christ shines through Mary’s mantle? Beautiful. In the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Seen on https://www.facebook.com/ignatiuspress
Like this:
Like Loading...
Published by melanie jean juneau
Melanie Jean Juneau serves as the Editor in Chief of Catholic Stand. She is a mother of nine children who has edited her kid's university term papers for over a decade. She blogs at joy of nine9 and mother of nine9. Her writing is humorous and heart warming; thoughtful and thought-provoking. Part of her call and her witness is to write the truth about children, family, marriage and the sacredness of life. Melanie is the administrator of ACWB, a columnist at CatholicLane, CatholicStand, Catholic365 , CAPC, author of Echoes of the Divine and Oopsy Daisy, and coauthor of Love Rebel: Reclaiming Motherhood.
View all posts by melanie jean juneau
joy of nine9 
Beautiful. I really like this. You’re right about the illumination. It’s hard to believe it was painted so long ago. Her face looks real, and middle eastern. So the spirituality and the realism are both there.
LikeLike
no wonder it is not well known…Victorians would not have liked it
LikeLike
That’s a sublime piece, Melanie. I also really like the expression on her face, don’t you? Looks like she’s deep in thought about all the things that were told her in prophecy, and I like that it’s not too ‘sweet’ looking. Her humanity is very real here. Thanks for finding this!
LikeLike
yes, well said
LikeLike
This is great…looks like she’s praying while nursing! Haven’t we all done that! 🙂
LikeLike
sometimes it is thwe only chance to pray
LikeLike
Mary Fredal
Top Contributor on LinkedIN-Catholic Worldwide Network: Pope Francis ( Jorge Mario Bergoglio ) The Holy See Vatican
This painting of the Blessed Mother of Christ is magnificent! As I look upon it, the Holy Spirit draws me in to meditating on the humanity of Mary, fully human, and also the mother of the only begotten Son of Almighty God, the Savior of all mankind.
As you noted on your website: “An interesting Marian painting we haven’t seen before! “The Madonna of the Rose” (1885) by Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret. See how the illumination around the head of the child Christ shines through Mary’s mantle? Beautiful. In the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.”…
It is always a wonder for me to see the “birth” of the manifestation of an anointing and revelation of Truth in a member of the Body of Christ as they fulfill their call and ministry. In this case the artist, Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret, was given a wonderful inspiration by the Holy Spirit to paint a representation of Mary and the Christ child in a way that gives many messages to each viewer.
As I look upon this magnificent painting, I see much that is symbolic and reality. Some of what I see is…
Mary’s look of meditation while holding her baby, the Son of God…
There is so much in her face and her eyes. It appears to me that she is receiving a partial revelation of His life, His suffering, His death, His redemption of the world. There appears to be a question in her eyes and facial expression, combined with a look of total surrender to the perfect Will of Almighty God.
The protective posture of Mary, a mother holding her baby’s little body, and gently holding his little foot, protecting Jesus from harm while she is able.
The nursing posture of Mary, nursing the Christ child and giving Him nourishment from her surrendered body and life from which Jesus is able to grow and fulfill His purpose to show us the Father and to show us how we are to live in obedient submission to God, and to fulfill His greatest purpose as Savior of all mankind from our sins and their death.
Is that not what each one of us are called to do? Be surrendered to Almighty God, to nourish His growth in our lives and ministry through the Body of Christ to others throughout the world.
I see the clothing of Christ Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, with a little cloth on His upper body and the cloak of Mary partially covering His head, and the nakedness of His lower body. What a beautiful message of the revelation of Jesus…fully Divine and fully human.
The full Divinity of Christ child as the Light of the world, revealing Him as the Light of the world with His Light partially hidden by Mary’s cloak until the time of His revealing to the world.
The full humanity of Christ revealing Him as the son of man conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, of the lineage of King David.
In human form, Jesus Christ lived among us humans whom He created, walking, teaching, and healing, and dying for us in His human flesh on the cross, shedding His blood for our redemption, represented by the nakedness of the lower half of His body and His feet with which He “touched” the world, and the symbolic nakedness of His body as He hung upon the cross.
The roses, one a bud, one partially open, one fully open, one dying, all with thorns and with the beauty of different colors of petals. Perhaps they represent the lives of the followers of Christ, the members of His Body in His church.
The simplicity of Mary’s garb and surroundings, reflecting the simplicity of Mary’s surrender to the Will of Almighty God, and her simple trust in God, and her focus on God and surrender to fulfilling His Will was so total and so complete as it filled her life that the trappings of worldly lusts were not part of her life.
And so much more that I have not perceived. A marvelous painting!
God bless you!
LikeLike