Zill, Madison (Week 3)

 

I am Jewish and do not belong to the Chicana/x community, so I have not been exposed to the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe before this class. However, I attended a Catholic High School and am familiar with the Virgin Mary. I saw Mary around the necks of my classmates, hung on the wall in portrait form, and displayed as a statue in the garden. Though my religion does not include Mary as being someone of significance, I was still able to feel a sense of femininity exuding from the artistic portrayals of Mary. This femininity gave people hope and peace which I think is powerful. I feel similarly when looking at the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. 

When I first looked at the Virgin of Guadalupe, I noticed her facial expression and how calm it looked. The relaxed nature of her face made me think of my Mom. My Mom provides me with a lot of comfort and is able to help me relax. I also associate my Mom and motherhood with power. Through my association, the calm demeanor of the Virgin of Guadalupe gives her power. 

I also noticed that the Virgin of Guadalupe is wearing a beautiful crown. The crown symbol makes me think of empowered and strong women that should be held on a pedestal. To me, the Virgin of Guadalupe is a symbol of how women should be respected. The crown also reminds me of the headdress that Jesus wore when he was crucified.  The parallel between the two headdresses adds power to the Virgin of Guadalupe’s femininity. 

Though my views on the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe may be untraditional and from an outsider’s perspective, I still appreciate and honor how impactful of a symbol she is for other people. I am appreciative that I was able to be exposed to her image because I love learning about people that make others hopeful. 

Virgin of Guadalupe(Spanish Virgen de Guadalupe), oil on canvas by Antonio de Torres, c. 1720; in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California.