The Marriage of the Virgin

myminifactory

This is a stunning oak carving that vividly depicts the union of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The marriage itself is surprisingly not mentioned within the canonical Gospels, but rather is extensively covered in various apocryphal sources as well as later revisions, most notably the 14th-century compilation known as the Golden Legend. In contrast to numerous other scenes found in Life of the Virgin cycles (such as the Nativity of Mary and Presentation of Mary), it does not hold a special place in the church calendar.\r\nIn Eastern Orthodox tradition, a scene essentially identical to this one, boasting remarkably similar iconography, is viewed as representing an earlier event - the "Entrusting of Mary to Joseph", where the temple authorities formally appoint Joseph as Mary's guardian. In artistic renderings, the subject can be represented through several distinct scenes, and the betrothal of Mary, often accompanied by Joseph's blooming rod, was frequently depicted despite its apocryphal origins. Wedding processions are also commonly shown, particularly in Early Medieval art.