Church of Our Lady & Statue of Madonna and the Child – Bruges, Belgium – Part 2
CONTINUED FROM PART 1
The Madonna of Bruges depicts Mary with the infant Jesus. It is sculpted in marble. The statue depicts a seated Mary with the toddler Jesus trying to take a step and being lightly supported by Mary’s left arm and leg. It is exactly what toddlers do when they have just learned to walk. It is a very comfortable and secure position for the child.
According to the
art experts this sculpture is different from the normal depictions of Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus in her arms with a serene expression. In this sculpture Mary does not look at her son and does not cling to him. The interpretation has been that she already knows what is in store for son even as he is trying to step way from his mother and into the world.This is a truly moving sculpture. There is a certain amount of melancholy attached to it – almost like when I saw the Pieta (in Vatican). I don’t know whether it’s my imagination or whether it is actually so – I felt that there was some resemblance between the toddler’s and mother’s faces. It was, I think, the lips which were slightly similar. It’s almost like there is a possibility that when the toddler’s face is aged it will look like the mother’s. Hey – this is just what I felt. Maybe it must have been my imagination. I wonder if anybody else thought so too. After all it is Michelangelo! Anything is possible! I have been a great admirer of Michelangelo – hence absolutely loved Florence (but that’s for later).
There is a nice article I came across on this sculpture. It is called “A Michelangelo in Belgium? The Bruges Madonna” – by Jerry R. Hobbs
The Church of Our Lady location - Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerkhof Zuid
Timings – Mon-Fri- 9 AM to 12:30 PM & 1:30 P.M. to 5 P.M; Sat – 9AM-12:30PM & 1:30-4PM; Sun – 1:30-5PM.
There is a museum here where entry fee has to be paid. But entry to the church and Madonna and Child alter is free.
Related Article:
Bruges (Brugge), Belgium – An Introduction
How to get to Bruges (Brugge), Belgium – Transportation
Traveling within Bruges (Brugge), Belgium – Transport Information
The Markt (Market) Square-Bruges
Belfry (Belfort) of Bruges .
The Beguinage (Begijnhof) of Bruges
Basilica of the Holy Blood (Heilige Bloed Basiliek)- Part 1 ; Part 2
[...] A good walk further south of the Markt Square, off Mariastraat is located the Church of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk), famous for the amazing Michelangelo Sculpture of Madonna and the Child. The church dates back to the 13th century and even today this remains the tallest structure in the city with its tower at over 400 ft. (122m). This church has the tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter the duchess Mary. Inside the church it’s magnificent. The artwork, the imposing high ceiling, the sheer feel of the place are amazing. You can actually “feel” the antiquity of the place. And of course the famed statue – it’s remarkable. The Bruges Madonna was one of Michelangelo’s early works and the only one to leave Italy during his lifetime. It was sculpted around 1504 A.D. shortly after the Pieta. It was bought by two brothers who were cloth merchants in Bruges. This family, the Mouscrons, donated the statue to the Church. The sculpture has had its own share of adventure over the centuries – initially, in the late 16th century during the “Counter-Reformation” or “Catholic Reformation” this statue remained covered because it depicted nudity. Later, the French seized it after they took over Belgium in 1792. The statue was returned after Napoleon’s defeat. Then in 1944 (during Second World War), the Germans took it and was later retrieved by American troops after the end of war. CONTINUED IN PART 2 [...]