Lucas schildert Maria 1633 - 1692

Cornelis Bloemaert’s engraving depicts Saint Luke, brush in hand, as he paints the Virgin Mary, a sacred act of creation. The figure of Mary, often portrayed as the compassionate mother, is here intertwined with the divine artistry of Luke, highlighting the Church’s role as a patron of the arts. We see this patronage echoed through the ages, in the grand frescoes of the Renaissance and the detailed mosaics of Byzantium. Observe the ox at Luke's side, an ancient symbol seen in various forms across cultures, from Egyptian deities to Minoan bull-leaping rituals. Here, it signifies sacrifice, service, and strength, tying Luke to an age-old tradition of bestowing symbolic meaning onto animals. The halo above Luke’s head represents divine enlightenment. It connects with the collective unconscious—a symbol reappearing throughout art history that transcends the ages. It is the cyclical recurrence of such deeply embedded symbols that engages us on a primal level, evoking reverence and awe.