Virgin in Majesty in polychrome wood, 17th century

Virgin and Child “in Majesty”, seated with the infant Jesus standing on her right knee.
Marie is dressed in a red dress covered with a golden coat which falls in broken pleats on the front.
She is wearing a veil. Her face has soft features.
The baby Jesus is dressed in a long tunic. He holds a pomegranate in his hands, a symbol of life and fertility.
His face is chubby.

France
17th century
Resumption in polychromy
Missing the right hand of the Virgin


Our wink
The pomegranate has had a strong symbolism since ancient times. In Mesopotamian civilization, it is associated with fertility. For the first Christians, it represents creation in the hand of God but also the Church as a community of believers. In Catholic religious iconography, the pomegranate quickly became the symbol of Jesus.