Mary 1

The snowdrops are up and the tree buds are swelling next to the Sackler Gallery, an area slightly protected from the wind. The sun shone several times this week, and the wall behind and the pathway just in front of this bed must have soaked it in, raising the temperatures in the soil in just this spot. It's beautiful!

 This is the entrance stairway to the Sackler museum, which is below ground. It takes up a lot of space, and lots of people have remarked that they are thinking of somehow changing it to take up less, but I think it is beautiful. The black sculpture in the middle hangs from the sky light down three floors, hovering just above the surface of a low fountain. The sculpture is called "Monkeys grasping for the moon". It is a traditional asian subject, where monkeys will hang in a line from a tree to touch the reflection of the moon in the water. The sculpture is made up of 21 pieces, each a monkey formed out of the word for money in 21 different languages. It's really cool.

And now to Mary. My time in DC started with a visit to a museum with an exhibition featuring Mary. Below is one of the paintings that is featured in that exhibit. There are several more that I'd like to share as I have time, both from the Mary exhibition, and from the National Gallery, because I found them particularly interesting or happened to need a rest and studied them longer :-).

Lorenzo di Credis, "The Annunciation and three stories from Genesis"

Mary is in a contemporary setting and clothing, and has a gentlewoman's face. Her posture and hands convey surprise. However, I also think her face has an element of imperiousness about it, noticeable because of the angel. The angel's obsequious expression and humble posture make Mary seem like a great lady giving orders, rather than a humble vessel receiving God's message. Perhaps I'm being fanciful, but I don't think I am. This is not a traditional annunciation scene--the typical representation of the holy spirit/shaft of light/humunculus (little man) coming down to impregnate Mary is missing. Also, there are the three scenes from Genesis below the annunciation to take into account. Juxtaposing Mary's and Eve's stories brings their very different reactions to God's word to our attention, shifting the focus of the painting. Mary is Eve's successor, through her obedience is the door to heaven opened and the path to God revealed.

.