Description of the work
The Virgin of Paris remains one of the most acclaimed sculptures of modern Christian history. This sculpture resides in Notre-Dame France. It represents the history of Christianity, especially the connection between Roman Catholicism and modern catholic theory and practice. This piece of art was created many centuries ago. The artistic aspects of the statue are the carvings. The sculpture was created in the 14th century and remains astute and well taken care of. There is literary very little literature that has developed around the context of the Virgin of Paris sculpture causing paucity of relevant background reference on its aspects and socio-cultural nature.
According to literature that have expounded a little on the nature of this sculpture, the Virgin of Paris was created in the early 14th century. It has been preserved and carefully secured to remain a precious French artifact. It has, for centuries remained the most decorative statue in all Roman Catholicism following and even adapted in necklaces. The statue was created in honor of the Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ after being fertilized by the Holy Spirit. This, even in modern science remains a mythical aspect of nature. Science has defined conception as fertilization of female eggs (ova) by male sperm to form an embryo, however, the conception of Mary was purely spiritual and she did not have sex with a man to conceive rather, ‘according to Catholicism and all Christian teachings in the New Testament of the Bible, she got pregnant through the holy spirit.
Formal qualities
Artistically from a theological perspective, the Blessed Virgin Mary is a symbol of the motherly link between her and her baby. Roman Catholics have used the Virgin Mary in context, as the link between them and Jesus Christ the son of God. Here, the artistic intentions are evident based on the two most important aspects of family structure. God is the father of Jesus Christ who was born by the Virgin Mary. As such, the artist’s intention was to link the pregnancy of Mary to God. This link is what Catholics use as medium of communication with the virgin Mary being begged to talk to his son who in turn beseeches his fathers consent to listen to mankind.
The nature of the artifact is a ‘stab.’ It was commissioned for the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris where up to date it still resides though in form of a new style completely different from the hyped classical contrapposto (Janson 300-500).
Historical context
This sculpture brings to focus the late Gothic art. It was created in French gothic period. This periods dates 1140. The Statue of the Virgin of Paris is described, literary and artistically, as showing the elegance (mannered elegance) of the French Gothic art. Characteristically, the Virgin of Paris is carved well to project it as a body of a virgin that poses in a very sensual S-shaped curve. The objective of carving the woman in a curvy and such an elegant manner is to provide purity as a symbol of closeness of God and man mutually, if sin is uncommitted. Typically, upon losing virginity/purity in context, a woman’s is not dignified or respectable. This aspect of connection between purity and Godliness is what defines how sins of man distance man from God. The sculpture shows the virgin draped with long dressing covering her body in her posture.
The intention of the sculptor was to portend formally how the French Gothic era perceived royalty and manners. Gothic sculptors used ivory, gilt, and a touch of wood and stone to carve and range a sculpture as this one. To poise it, they developed its posture base as a tabletop to provide balance and a naturalistic aspect. The clothes as observed cover the woman’s body well enough to delineate the body position and make the S-curve well pronounced/visible. Such etiquette and drapery during the French Gothic was accorded the royals or the kingly. The intent of the artist is to provide a unique but elaborate example of how a noble woman should remain pristine and mannered for her to be blessed and respected, besides being anointed to noble motherhood. Mary is nobly dressed and is an example of a court woman who fits for the role of a patron for her great elegance, purity, and self-regard.
Summary
The Virgin of Paris presents theologically inspired art. The sculptor managed to bring out a touch of holiness through art to symbolize the Christian nexus with God as based on purity and elegance. The title ‘virgin of Paris’ is indicative of the insistence with which the sculptor calls for observation of purity and abstinence from sin as the only way to remain in Gods favor. The French Gothic era has also provided insight at how messages intended for the people through art were placed in the right medium channels, in this case, the Notre-Dame church where Christians went and still go for worship, hence learn and observe these values.
Work Cited
Janson, Anthony. Basic History of Western Art. 8th ed. 1. New York: Prentice Hall, 2005. 300-500. Print.