medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear learned colleagues,
I'm forwarding this inquiry from "ELIZABETH S. BOLMAN" <[log in to unmask]>, in the hope that one or more of you may be able to help her.
Sherry Reames
I am writing a book on constructions of the nursing Virgin Mary in eastern Mediterranean art. The two major areas of my focus are early Coptic and 12th-14th c. Byzantine representations. While studying a small triptych of circa 1260 in the collection of the Monastery of St. Katherine on Mount Sinai that shows the Galaktotrophousa along with Sts. Katherine and Marina, and scenes from Christ's life, I began to wonder whether there was a connection between St. Katherine and the nursing Virgin Mary. I found a group of Italian panel paintings (13th - 14th c.) that shows St.
Katherine (and other saints) with the Virgo lactans. I have also found several references in secondary sources to St. Katherine being the patron saint of nursing mothers, but never with a citation.
I am aware of the account of milk flowing from St. Katherine's body in place of blood, when she was decapitated, but am curious whether there is historical evidence of Katherine functioning as a patron saint of nursing mothers. All of the reading I've done on the western evidence suggests that Anne fulfilled that role, with some appeals to the Virgin Mary and occasionally other saints, but never Katherine. My specialization, of course, is the eastern material, so I'm sure I'm missing quite a bit.
Elizabeth S. Bolman
Associate Professor of Medieval Art
Acting Graduate Director
Director, the Red Monastery Project
Department of Art History
Tyler School of Art
Temple University
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