Sunday, December 5, 2010

Merode Altarpiece, Campin

This triptych shows the Annunciation to Mary in the center block. The painting is riddled with extended religious imagery, aside from the actual annunciation. The lilies on the table symbolize Mary's virginity and the scrolls and book at her lap are the Old and New Testaments, speaking to her and Jesus's fulfillment of past scriptures and his future deeds. Her seat on the floor shows her humbleness and the domestic setting speaks to her motherly and ideal female qualities.


On the right panel sits Joseph working as usual as a carpenter. It is an interesting interpretation of events because through the three scenes we are made to believe that it is one continuous scene, putting Joseph and Mary in the same house before they were apparently married. 

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