Houten retabel in de Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk te Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Lombeek before 1889

This wooden altarpiece, now at Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk, is filled with scenes of the life of the Virgin Mary. The iconography is rich; in the center, we observe the Nativity, rendered with familiar figures of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus. Such depictions tap into a deep well of collective memory. The Madonna and Child motif, for instance, echoes ancient images of maternal deities, seen even in pre-Christian cultures. This continuity reveals a human need to venerate the feminine and celebrate fertility and protection. Even the star of Bethlehem, guiding the Magi, finds its antecedents in astral symbols of divine guidance. The emotional power of this image lies in its accessibility. It speaks to our shared human experiences of birth, love, and devotion, engaging us on a subconscious level. The cyclical nature of these symbols—reappearing across cultures and eras—demonstrates how cultural memory shapes our perception of the sacred.