Madonna con Bambino (Churches in Venice)

Madonna con Bambino

On a building somewhere in Dorsoduro~

Above the entrance to Santa Maria dei Miracoli, this one has a squirming baby Jesus~

In Castello, not far from the one I posted a few days ago on Calle del Forno~

Comments (9)

Candi:

I love the bright yellow wall in the first one.

Posted by Candi | March 8, 2010 1:34 PM

Posted on March 8, 2010 13:34

sandrac:

The bright yellow is pretty eye-catching! But I really love the squirming Baby Jesus, which one doesn't often see.

Miracoli is a delightful church, although I recall it took me a long time to find it! Well worth the effort.

Posted by sandrac | March 8, 2010 2:47 PM

Posted on March 8, 2010 14:47

girasoli:

Beautiful! I love the yellow. I recognized the second one right away but will have to check out the others the next time I am there.

Posted by girasoli | March 8, 2010 10:59 PM

Posted on March 8, 2010 22:59

Andrew:

You're so good at spotting these Annie. Do you ever trip over due to looking up all the time? Andrew(Please note my change of email address)

Posted by Andrew | March 9, 2010 5:56 AM

Posted on March 9, 2010 05:56

Anne:

Oh, I wonder what is the symbolism of the squirming baby? I must check my Hidden Symbolism in Art book when I get home and see what, if anything, it has to say on the subject. (Shhhh, I'm reading this at work, don't tell anyone! lol)

Posted by Anne | March 9, 2010 12:08 PM

Posted on March 9, 2010 12:08

Annie:

Thanks for your comments guys.

Sandra, the first time I visited Miracoli, it took me forever to find it! Quite an adventure.

Hi Andrew, I haven't tripped or fallen into a canal yet. Probably just a matter of time. :)

Anne, let me know what you find out! I've seen a few squirming babies here and there, but they are very rare.

Posted by Annie | March 9, 2010 1:00 PM

Posted on March 9, 2010 13:00

Anne:

I read that the squirming pose developed after the solemn and rigid formality of the Byzantine era:

"Gradually, a more loving, less formal relationship unfolded between mother and child. Mary's head inclined more toward her son, while the infant began to twist in his mother's arms, their cheeks touching or gazes meeting. The somber child became a squirming baby, and Mary a tender mother."

So my thoughts are that it must be an attempt to portray not just the divinity, but also the humanity of Jesus?

Posted by Anne | March 10, 2010 7:09 AM

Posted on March 10, 2010 07:09

Annie:

Anne, thanks! That makes a lot of sense that Mary became less a queen and more a human mother by showing her with a wiggly baby. I'm going to look through my photos and see if I can find any other examples of squirming babies.

Posted by Annie | March 10, 2010 9:33 AM

Posted on March 10, 2010 09:33

Maria I.:

They are all lovely! That (electric) yellow looks similar to the one on the Burano post.

About falling into a canal, didn’t A lover of Venice fall in a canal last year?

Posted by Maria I. | March 11, 2010 9:28 PM

Posted on March 11, 2010 21:28

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Churches in Venice

Mosaics, marble, and miracle-working Madonnas. Stories and reflections about art, travel, and sacred spaces in Venice and beyond.