Huwelijk van Maria en Jozef c. 1530

This is a colored woodcut illustrating the Marriage of Mary and Joseph, held at the Rijksmuseum. At its heart, we see the exchange of rings, a symbol laden with promises and eternal commitment. The priest oversees the sacred act, binding these two figures in matrimony. Joseph holds a flowering staff, a motif that transcends time and space, echoing the ancient tale of the blossoming rod that signified divine favor. We see a similar motif in depictions of Aaron, the high priest, whose rod miraculously budded to confirm his authority. Here, the flowering staff signals Joseph's divinely ordained role as Mary’s husband and protector. This resonates with the collective memory of leadership and divine endorsement. The halo encircling Mary's head marks her blessed status, a visual echo of the sacred light often associated with the divine. This image carries the weight of centuries, engaging viewers on a subconscious level with powerful symbols of faith, destiny, and the enduring human quest for meaning. Just as the staff blooms, so too does the promise of renewal and hope, continually resurfacing in our shared visual lexicon.