A few years ago I stumbled upon a painting* of Mary as the New Eve surrounded by what I take to be pomegranate trees, symbolizing the Garden of Eden. She stands, one hand on her pregnant belly, the other cradling the cheek of the earlier Eve. Eve stands before her, one hand grasping the fruit of her downfall. Mary, her face full of concern and compassion, holds her other hand. 

I can hear the Blessed Virgin asking Eve if she wants to feel the Baby’s heartbeat and, at this stage, likely some kicking. Eve’s expression is of sorrow but the New Eve brings hope. The serpent wound around Eve’s leg has already lost its grip, its head firmly crushed under the New Eve’s heel. 

Eve seems clad only in her long hair, an earthy brown. Mary wears a gown of white with a blue sash and a blue veil/mantle. The gown of white I associate with purity and holiness, saintliness. About that blue:

“[W]hen the ark was to be moved, Numbers specifies that the Levites are to ‘spread over [it] a cloth all of blue’ (4:4). And further: ‘And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue’ (4:5). Clothing Mary in blue, following the Old Testament, clearly signifies Mary’s role as the new ark and presence of the Lord, as well as his handmaid, who, unlike Eve, perfectly fulfills the Lord’s commands, rather than following her own will.”

Quoted from The Color Blue: A May Tribute to Our Lady, by R. Jared Staudt.**

That whole post was written by R. Jared Staudt for his own honoring of the Blessed Virgin Mary in May of 2015. I was searching the web for what I could find about the color blue so often associated with Mary in art. Went down a rabbit hole with that! Oh, I do love rabbit holes and this was a good one. :) Oh, and that mention of the ark? There’s more about that in future posts. Stay tuned.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy your visit. Please do drop in anytime. God bless you and may His peace be always with you.

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Notes and Links

*The Virgin Mary Consoles Eve, a crayon and pencil drawing by Sr. Grace Remington OCSO, Sisters of the Mississippi Abbey

**The Color Blue: A May Tribute to Our Lady, by R. Jared Staudt.

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