The Virgin Mary with the Christ Child Holding a Cross c. 1465

This engraving depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child Holding a Cross, made by Meester IAM van Zwoll. The dominant symbol here is the cross, clutched by the infant Christ, foretelling his destiny and sacrifice. Consider the cross not just as a symbol of death, but of redemption, of the cyclical nature of suffering and renewal. We see echoes of this motif in ancient sun wheels and the Egyptian ankh, symbols of eternal life, reborn in Christian iconography. The cross has evolved, charged with new meaning, yet resonating with primal human hopes for salvation. The image evokes a sense of poignant foreshadowing. The serene yet somber expression of the Virgin Mary, combined with the child's innocent embrace of the cross, elicits deep emotional responses. The viewer is drawn into a complex interplay of love, duty, and acceptance of fate. The symbol has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings.