There’s a big slice of the pie chart in my brain dedicated to hilarious renditions of the Virgin and Child. While I saw plenty of these in my recent trip to the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, I ended up being astonished by the knockout gorgeous Madonnas instead.
There’s a charming (free!) museum in Bologna called Museo Davia Bargellini that’s stuffed with a rummage sale collection of ephemera and earnest, friendly security guards everywhere making sure you don’t miss out on a case of doorknobs then—GAH!—this sloe-eyed Virgin hanging in the middle of it.
With a flight out the next morning, I was full of my usual fear of flying terror. Madonna del Denti’s peaceful expression temporarily stayed my anxiety.
At the Cathedral Museum of Ferrara (home of many treasures), I found this Madonna, with her classical Italian face and elegant hands holding—gasp!—a baby Jesus who resembles an actual human child, leg chonk and all.
Also in Ferrara, inside a sensational palace in with a diamond cut stone facade, an equally sensational Madonna holds the baby Jesus. Mary and Jesus share a mutual love of brocade gowns and brown eyebrow pencils.
Just look at this beauty! Madonna, with her pointed chin and plush neck, sits gracefully inside the folds of her robe, delicately knotted to match her son’s robe.
I was quite mesmerized by the reflection of Madonna in the museum’s window.
Oh Oh Oh! HERE SHE IS. The sweetest Madonna of all, draping her scarf over the head of her coy little savior while he grips her long, jointless finger. Her eyes are laughing, with the cutest crinkles at the corners.
(Not laughing because baby Jesus has teeth, of course not).
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms today, especially to mine (she’s the ravishing Madonna, I’m the baby Jesus with teeth).
And here she is now, Madonna Enthroned with Two Grandchildren, still ravishing.
Picnic at the Cathedral 
Not laughing at those teeth at all – not me!!! This was just what I needed today – getting me in the spirit of mothers. As always, I love your closer look at things (and mothers!) I might breeze by. And your own is indeed ravishing. xxx
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Happy Mother’s Day to you!
RE: the baby Jesus with teeth—last fall I was at a museum and it had been a loooong day but of course I wanted to squeeze in just one more museum and I was pretty slap happy and I turned the corner and there was this absolutely bonkers baby Jesus with teeth. These ladies came along seconds later and we were laughing so hard were cry laughing like the emoji.
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after seeing so many versions of Madonna in Italian art. I’m vonvinced artist is inspired by a woman whom they knew.
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That must be true, because when we think of a mother we all must think of our own (well, maybe not Michelangelo, whose Madonnas are so blandly idealized, given he’s such an outstanding artist).
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I love how much care, love and attention went into crafting each one of the Madonnas while the Child rendition ranged from ‘somewhat disfigured’ to ‘couldn’t be bothered, really’. The Madonna dei Denti has an intriguing title. Loosely translated it means ‘Madonna of the Teeth’ but she’s not showing them pearlies, isn’t she? Puzzling.
Happy mother’s day to all moms. Including mine, gone too soon. She’d be 74 now.
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Oh that baby’s leg (the one with the teeth) is kind of a ham hock situation.
I’m sorry you lost your mom too soon! Did she like to travel as well?
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She didn’t have much of a chance, sadly. First it was kids, then work, then taking care of her mother and then… She passed. I’m sure she’d have loved to.
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