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Kuckländer Mária szobor

The Kuckländer Madonna

The mother of Jesus Christ
(Wikipedia)

18th century sculptor
1710

Description

Sandstone statue of Saint Mary with child on a quadratic column.

Inscription(s)

The inscriptions are almost not readable and are copied from the Köztérkép website:

SISTE VIATOR ET tVos hIC Magnae DeL genItrICI Monstra saCros et DeVotos affeCtVs Vt haeC Det paCeM Vngaro aC Lve MaLa Depastras Vrbes MVnDaret* CVnCtas.	Stop by, traveler, and show your holy and pious devotions here to the great Mother of God, so that this may give peace to Hungary and clean all cities devastated by the evil curse**.
hac ne vade via qvin dicas ave maria.	Do not go away from here without praying a Hail Mary
hanc statuam honori b.m.v. oettinganae extrui curavit excelltissima ac illustrissima domina nata a truchlin benigna maria kuklender in anno 1710. i. maji.

* Köztérkép says MVnDnet
** = the plague of 1710, probably also in a metaphorical sense: the Turks

The chronogram in the first text is for 2826 (first line), 4025 (second line) and 1710 (third line).

Annotation

The Kuckländer Madonna is the oldest open-air memorial of Esztergom. This statue is a copy of the so-called Madonna of Altötting, a linden-wood statue of c. 1300. It was placed by Báró Kuckländer Ferenc, commander of Esztergom from 1706-1719.

Depictions of Saint Mary

Saint Mary, as the mother of Jesus Christ, has a central role in the life of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic veneration of her as the Blessed Virgin Mary has grown over time both in importance and manifestation, not only in prayer but in art, poetry and music. She is usually depicted as a beautiful young woman, with a (blue) mantle. In the majority of the depictions she is having the Infant Jesus in her arms or on her lap.
Attributes of Saint Mary:

A crown of 12 stars (Relevation 12:1), sometimes 7 stars.
A royal crown, sometimes also a scepter: Mary Queen of Heaven.
Standing on a globe.
Standing on the crescent moon (Relevation 12:1).
Crushing the serpent (sometimes a dragon) under her feet. The serpent can have an apple in his mouth (Genesis 3:15). A special depiction is where Jesus impales the serpent with a spear-cross.
Flowers: Lily (symbol of virginity and purity), roses (Mary's mystical participation in the Holy Trinity as Heaven's Rose or Mystical Rose), iris or "Sword Lily" (emblem of Our Lady's Seven Sorrows), fleur-de-lis (resembling both the Iris and the Madonna Lily)

The Infant Jesus sometimes has some attributes too:

a crown and/or a royal orb (usually in combination with Mary as Queen of Heaven)
making a blessing gesture

Sculptor

Unknown 18th century sculptor

Sources & Information

Köztérkép.
Wikipedia, Szent István tér (Esztergom).

Locatie (N 47°47'54" - E 18°44'14") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: huke027; Photograph: 6 September 2012
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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