This splendid and perfectly preserved painting of the Mother of God is titled, The Madonna of Humility. It was painted by Jacope di Cione somewhere around 1365. The word humility comes from the Latin, humus, which means good earth. Mary is "down to earth" about herself—she sees herself as God's good servant (of one mind with God), that she is the grateful recipient of God's marvels, that she stands in solidarity with the world's poor and those denied justice.
Perhaps di Cione has suggested Mary's down-to-earth-ness by placing her, not on a grand throne, but on a hidden low chair or even a stool. And she is seated in a garden—all around her are birds, vines, low-growing and flowering plants. The background is gold: in the Incarnation, heaven and earth meet, and gold reflects the light which is most like, yet unlike, earth-light.
Mary's mantle (her maphorion) is a lovely blue, carefully decorated along the edges. The swaddling blanket which wraps the Holy Child is brilliant with stylized leaves. Perhaps that's a large and open pomegranate in the center of the blanket—a symbol of the Resurrection. Mary holds the Infant Christ dearly and securely. She looks at Him while he looks out at us. With his gazing, he wants to reassure us, especially in times of fear and insecurity, "Look, this is how heaven holds you; loves you!" Mary creates this atmosphere of love around Christ, yes, but also around us. Indeed, around all the world.
To help steady us these unnerving days, click on the picture and listen to the Benedictine Monks of Notre Dame de Fontgombault sing the Gradual from the Mass of the Assumption—Audi,Filia. The Gradual is (in the Mass many of us grew up with) a psalm verse between the readings (here psalm 44). Listen deeply. Notice the monks don't take big breaths all at once. They seem to sneak breaths so the chant can move seamlessly, like gentle waves. The last word, ejus, is sung on 37 notes! Let it carry you. See the English translation is below.
Listen, daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and the King shall greatly desire thy beauty. The daughter of the King comes in, all beautiful: her robes are of golden cloth.
