Mary and the Sparrows - ceramic by Maryon Attwood
Mary and the Sparrows - ceramic by Maryon Attwood
13”h x 12”w x 7.5”d
Click image to enlarge.
Marion Atwood comments:
“This sculpture is inspired by my interest in the people and times of the early Christian church. Mary and the 12 sparrows depict a moment where a young Mary has a vision of a future miracle that her son Jesus would someday perform.
Three sparrows are held in Mary’s hands. One has a crown representing a son yet to be born. The other 9 sparrows are seen in Mary’s veil at the back of the figure. The cross on her face indicates Mary as one of the founders of the early Christian church.
Mary is shown as a young woman was a citizen of Roman-occupied Galilee who survived one of the most dangerous periods of Jewish history when revolt, crucifixions and destruction were taking place. Mary was ‘doubly royal’ – she was from Davidic lineage and a priestly lineage.
The story of Jesus and the 12 sparrows comes from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, an apocryphal text, not the canonical Bible. As a five-year-old, Jesus molds 12 clay birds on the Sabbath. When scolded for violating the Sabbath, he claps his hands, turning the clay birds into living creatures that fly away.
This story is found in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a 2nd-century text detailing the childhood of Jesus. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas depicts a young Jesus in full possession of divine power who is already dispensing wisdom with authority, even at an early age.”