I still believe that the way we tend to look at images (left to right,
the way we read) influences the way artists arrange objects, including
bodies, in images. We begin with the head and progress to the feet.
Also, in 14th c images of the Last Judgment, the elect are on the
viewer's left, Jesus'/God's right, and that may have influenced the
choice. Or, assuming that Mary was right-handed, a reasonable assumption
percentage-wise, it would make sense to place Jesus' head in her right
hand.
These are all, obviously, guesses and learned scholars/art historians
may have definitive responses.
Kwild thing
Frank Schaer wrote:
>
> I would like to ask about "right-aligned Pietas" (which, judging from the discussion, I take to be the standard orientation).
>
> In the 14thC Historia Trium Regum (history of the Magi) Mary is described as sitting on the manger in a poor blue mantle, which she holds closed in front of her with her left hand. Her head except her face is covered with a linen cloth, and she holds the head of Jesus in her right hand.
>
> My question is: does this correspond to any particular type of iconography? Or is it simply the normal way of presenting the pair?
>
> F.
>
> p.s. Mary is also "fleshy and somewhat brown/dark (fusca)" Does this suggest any parallels?
>
> ".. et Maria mater eius prout in alijs pluribus exemplis et libris reperitur erat in persona carnosa et aliquantulum fusca, et in conspectu illorum trium Regum tunc pallio blaueo pauperculo fuit cooperta, quod clausum ante se tenebat manu sinistra, et eius caput excepta facie panno lineo fuit totaliter circumvolutum, et supra presepe sedebat et manu dextera caput infantuli Ihesu tenebat (var. levavit) ... "
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