The Virgin of the Musée de Parme 1837

Editor: This is Jean Marie Leroux’s “The Virgin of the Musée de Parme” at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels like a very classical depiction of motherhood. What kind of symbols are at play here? Curator: Note the Madonna's downcast eyes, the soft embrace. These echo centuries of artistic tradition. Mary as a vessel, a caregiver, and a figure of serene suffering. The child clutches her, a symbolic act of dependence and future sacrifice, referencing older paintings in a way that would have been meaningful for a 19th-century audience. What feelings do these symbols evoke in you? Editor: Sadness, but also a sense of timelessness and peace. It’s interesting how older symbols transform through newer representations. Curator: Exactly! The image connects us to a shared cultural narrative, evolving yet enduring.