This elegant baroque sculpture by Mattheus van Beveren (ca. 1630 -1690) is a type of depiction of Mary and the Christ Child generally named ‘Madonna standing on the crescent moon’. It was developed and became popular in the second half of the fourteenth century. The moon under the Virgin can have different meanings, depending on the context, but mostly it symbolizes her glory and victory over time and space. Sometimes (like Van Beveren did here) the idea of her authority is strengthened by adding a globe to the crescent.
Another standard element in this kind of presentation is the snake on the ground that reaches his gaping mouth to the newborn baby, but gets trampled under Mary’s feet, pointing out the power of her purity that will destroy all Evil.
Probably needless to say that a sculpture that concentrated so much on the central role of the Virgin Mary, had a typical catholic signature. Therefore it is not surprising that Van Beveren wasn’t an artist from the Northern Netherlands, where Protestantism was state religion, but worked in the, still Catholic, town of Antwerpen.
I wish you all a good time, be it alone, with your family or friends.
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