Here Boticelli pictures Mary, lost in thought, holding the Child Jesus. The adoring eyes of the young Christ and his two angels immediately draw the eye to Mary’s humble expression. The airy detail of her veil contrasts with the heaviness of the wall surrounding the scene and the tower in the background. Despite this difference, each of these has symbolic meaning, emphasizing the different aspects of Mary’s holiness: the veil guards her modesty; the wall surrounds the garden called Hortus Conclusus, a symbol of her virginity, and the tower alludes to her title, Turris Davidica.
While the symbolism adds another layer of depth to the painting, even a fleeting glance at the painting reveals the beauty of the relationship between the immaculate mother and divine child.
“And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19
