Relief with the fainting Virgin

myminifactory

Northern Netherlands artists, likely from Utrecht, crafted a carved relief featuring the fainting Virgin, a scene that gained popularity during the late medieval period and found its way into theological literature. However, since this depiction was not mentioned in the Canonical Gospels, it sparked controversy among senior churchmen, who by the 16th century had begun to discourage its use. This concept emerged in the Middle Ages, suggesting that Mary faints while witnessing Jesus' Crucifixion during the Passion of Christ. The basis for this idea lies in apocryphal accounts found in texts like the Acta Pilati, which describe Mary's swoon as a result of her emotional distress.