More on Advent 3

Here are some thoughts via Michial Wood on the painting for Advent 3:

Madonna and Child with Saints in the enclosed garden.

An apprentice of the artist Robert Campin painted it in the 1400s.

Robert Campin and his apprentice were known as Netherlandish artists.

Netherlandish artists had a long tradition of symbolic religious painting. This painting combines this tradition with a new interest in nature.

The textures of rich cloth in this painting are painted with almost photographic realism and the leaves of the flowers are extremely delicate.

The artist has also achieved mystical overtones through the figures' quiet poses and the minute details.

In this painting, Mary and Child are inside a walled garden, surrounded by saints.
From left to right the Saints are: Catherine, John the Baptist, Barbara, and Anthony Abbot.

Standing on the left of Mary is John the Baptist holding a lamb. The lamb symbolises his recognition of Christ as the "Lamb of God”. In John, Chapter 1, Verse 29 it says ‘The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’

Sitting on the left of the painting is Catherine of Alexandria with a sword and a breaking wheel, which were the instruments of her martyrdom. It is said that when she was 18 she visited the Emperor Maximinus the second, and tried to convince him not to persecute Christians. Catherine was later condemned to death on the breaking wheel, but when she touched it, it broke. Afterwards she was beheaded.

Saint Barbara offers Jesus an apple or a quince, an age-old symbol of love. Her special attribute is the impregnable tower, a symbol of her chastity. She is said to have been so beautiful that her father built a tower and locked her inside so that no other man could marry her. Later her father departed on a journey. Barbara had heard stories from the bible and while her father was away she thought about these stories a lot. She would look out from the tower and see the countryside, trees, animals and people and decided that all these things must be part of a master plan and that the idols her parents worshipped must be false. When her father returned from his journey and found out she was a Christian he dragged her before the province who demanded she be beheaded.

Half-hidden by Saint Anthony's robe is a pig sitting beside him symbolising gluttony, and recalls his triumph over temptation. He was the son of well-to-do parentswho died when he was 20. Having inherited their possessions he had a desire to imitate the life of the Apostles and early Christians. One day, on hearing in church One day, on hearing in church Matthew, chapter 19, verse 21, which says "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor", he received these words as spoken directly to him, so he disposed of all his property and goods, and devoted himself fully to religion.

The walled garden relates to a verse from Song of Songs, chapter 4: verse 12, where a bridegroom speaks of his beloved saying "A locked up garden is my sister, my bride; A locked up spring, A sealed fountain”. Early Christians and medieval theologians, associated Mary with this bride. And the enclosed garden symbolises her virginity as well as the lost garden of Eden or paradise, which is redeemable only through Christ’s birth.

The doorway behind Saint Catherine reminds us of Christ saying in John, Chapter 10, verse 9 "I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved."

While reflecting on this painting I imagined myself coming through the doorway into this place of paradise. I wondered if it would look exactly like this garden or different?

I also wondered what item, like the Saints, that I would have to symbolise an important aspect of my life. Maybe it would be a bunch of paint brushes, or a small child at my side.