Mater Dolorosa c. 1503

Editor: This woodcut, “Mater Dolorosa,” dates to around 1503 and is by Joost de Negker. I believe it’s housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. There’s an immediate sense of grief, almost a suffocating feeling with the swords and the dense detail. What strikes you when you look at this, what’s the key to understanding its resonance? Curator: Oh, absolutely, it’s a real heart-punch, isn’t it? What grabs me is the intimate choreography between Mary, the splayed swords, and those surrounding scenes, those medallions encircling her. Consider the Seven Sorrows of Mary, you see, all playing out like chapters of a devastating biography right there. She’s not just a passive recipient; she’s embodying the emotional and spiritual consequences of each event. Look how her drapery swirls, as if echoing the torment within! I’d wager, did the severity and linear density used create an almost feverish energy in its time? Editor: I hadn’t really focused on how active the drapery appears; it seemed just like detail to me! You know, now I am noticing the connection to the scenes; the swords sort of point at the smaller events surrounding her. So, it's about visually linking her emotional state to the key moments in the story of Christ? Curator: Precisely! But beyond mere illustration, there’s this fascinating push and pull between the personal and the theological. De Negker seems to encourage each of us to insert our emotional truth into each event, thus into Her heart. What do you take from that? Editor: Hmmm, a devastating biography is about linking shared experiences in her and the viewer’s minds to give comfort! Curator: You found that right out; I felt your response too.