Apokryficzne motywy i stan badań nad rzeźbą Madonny z Dzieciątkiem i czyżykiem. Kłodzka Madonna nr II

Abstract

The Kladsko Madonna no 2 is a wooden sculpture and it was made for the Church of Virgin Mary in Kłodzko probable in the sixty’s of 14th century. The archbishop Amost of Pardubic is considered as a founder of this statue. The second name known in literature is The Virgin with the Child with goldfinch. The iconography of goldfinch and its symbolism is relevant to the Passion and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The article will try to present the genesis of the bird motif in this statue according to the selected texts of the New Testament Apocrypha. This will show new ways of understanding Kladsko Madonna no 2. During the process of compeering the statue with apocryphal gospels like: The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of the Pseudo-Matthaeus, The Infancy Ormian Gospel, The Infancy Arabic Gospel, we can notice the analogy. The episode of the creation of birds – sparrows made by small Jesus can by interpret as a human soul which comes from God and thirst to be rescue by God. Two apocryphal texts specify the number of birds – sparrows to twelve and this motif can by understand as a symbol of twelve disciples and twelve generations of Israel. This symbol refers to the idea of God’s people and more to the beginning of Christian faith and the Jesus commend Go into the world and preach the good news to all creation (Mk 16,15). In apocryphal examples He had had used the same commend to the twelve birds. What is interesting is also the aspect of infancy of Jesus Child and its relationship to the Virgin Mary and her role as a Mother of Jesus and Mother of Church.