Maria in aanbidding bij het Christuskind 1640 - 1678

This engraving by Lucas Vorsterman I presents Mary adoring the Christ Child, a tender scene filled with potent symbols. The sleeping child radiates light, a halo before his time, marking him as divine, while Mary’s folded hands and downcast gaze evoke humility and reverence. This image echoes the iconography of the Nativity, yet it also calls to mind the Pietà. Mary’s adoration here, so full of foreshadowing, reminds us of the cyclical nature of religious art: birth, death, and rebirth intertwined. The halo, a luminous circle around the head, isn't unique to Christianity. From ancient sun gods to enlightened Buddhas, it signifies divine status. Its endurance reveals our collective yearning for the sacred. The image evokes a deep emotional response, tapping into primal feelings of maternal love, divinity, and mortality. It is a testament to the enduring power of symbols to transcend time, each era reinterpreting and reshaping them to reflect its own spiritual and psychological landscape.