last Sunday I went to a little flea market in Berlin - and was vexed to see that I was late and them all packing up*. It was half past three - and at 4 pm they have to be off.
So I just did a hurried round - and then, at the very last stall, I found this little Italian madonna.
As I "collect" shop window mannequins with my camera, I saw that it resembles puppets that were made in the Forties or even earlier. She is tiny: about 25 cm height, 15 cm width - and has two impressed signatures, but I have to wait till my Italian friend Gloria, "la mia insegnante", comes back from her holidays in Italy to read what it is. I think there were lots of them in Italy at their time, and it will be nothing special. (I bought it for very little money - one advantage of coming late).
But I instantly fell in love: I love her aura - the expression of the faces is fine - and she exudes serenity.
I found a wonderful place for her on the wall of the bowfront of our flat.
And if someone thinks it a bit "kitschig" - I don't care!
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* PS: When I look at this sentence - the grammar - am I right to believe I should stop seeing "Ashes to Ashes" for a while, because glorious Mr. Gene Hunt's dialect dazzles my (broken) English?
Now if that is what the Holy Virgin and the Son of God looked like, then I will eat my hat. My children and grandchildren look much holier than that.
ReplyDeleteIf I want an exact image of how the Holy Virgin looks like, I might come to Bath - with my camera :-)
DeleteI love the serenity on the face of the mother and the security that the child feels is obvious. No matter what else you find about that piece you have something to treasure.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Emma - I feel the security and joy too. And when I look at it, it pleases me - just so, not as an object of art.
DeleteBritta...I think she looks quite serene and lovely. The baby boy so content, secure looking out at the world. Haven't most mothers experienced that look of pure love as we held our babies? A beautiful representation of mother and child...enjoy! Susan
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan: you got it into words: what I love here is the enveloping love around the two of them - a picture of mother and child.
DeleteI love a flea market, and I love to find something just for me that comes at a good price. The image is lovely for many reasons, but the most important one is that you like it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pondside! Berlin has a lot of flea markets, and I think the hunt is half the joy of it. And if I buy something (most often I abstain - I don't want overcrowded rooms) it must really 'hum' to me.
DeleteI am not one for having regligious images around the home, but your little flea market find is quite delightful and not at all kitsch.
ReplyDeleteDear Rosemary, the same is true for me: as I am not a religious person (though I believe in Creation), I have only a little Buddha on a shelf. (And I would not have bought a Madonna when I think of the tragic end of her child). So I see it more as a little sculpture - and as I I'm living for some time now in what the Chinese call "Interesting times", I might have felt the need for something "reassuring".
DeleteIt is very pretty, a lovely find Britta!
ReplyDeleteI also do not like religious images around the house. My mother-in-law was a practising Catholic and I remember her doing the "sign of the cross" when walking in front of her "Madonnina"; a similar ceramic hand-painted Madonna, hanging on the wall at the side of her bed head.
Greetings Maria x
Thank you, Maria! I do the "sign of the cross" only when I feel something evil around me (I am not Catholic) - if it helps: fine :-) But I don't do it when I look at my Madonnina - in fact, I voluntarily forget to look at her gloriole.
DeleteYou see what I did, Maria? I nicked the word "madonnina" - so much more apt... Greetings, Britta xx
DeleteDo you mean you changed the heading to Madonnina? I did notice it wasn't there when you first wrote the post. But I'm very tired some days and my mind plays up on me, so I wasn't too sure if it had always been there in the first place.
DeleteYou had me confused, Britta! :) x
Sorry, Maria - - I didn't want to confuse you :-) but I liked your mother-in-law's expression so much more! As in the other case you are very quick in noticing a change I made - so I hope it is only the heat that makes you tired and you'll feel better soon. Greetings, Britta xxx
DeleteYes, she is an okay Madonna and the kitscher the better. I approve.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachel - the walls are so high and the colour of them almost a lighter shade of the gloriole, so she merges modestly into the background.
DeleteVery beautiful and very 30's.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Elaine: so you estimate the Thirties - would be glad if you are right.
DeleteWhat a wonderful find! I think your Madonna and child is beautiful. Before my favorite aunt died, she gave me her Madonna and child statue, because she didn't think it would mean anything to anyone else. It isn't worth anything monetarily, but the image of serenity and love it projects is priceless. Just like yours.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan! Things "create" special vibrations around them (and I'm not esoteric :-) - that's why I choose pictures very carefully.
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