The Marian Cult in Transylvania
The exhibition at the Rezső Haáz Museum in Odorheiu Secuiesc
MúzeumCafé 18.
The aim of The Marian Cult in Transylvania exhibition is to present a rich but little known array of religious relics. The exhibition concentrates on statues and pictures of the Virgin Mary, leaving out the similarly rich range of frescos, printed materials, textiles, gold and silversmiths’ works, and statuettes. Furthermore, among representations of the Virgin only so-called independent Marian images have been chosen – scenes from the life of Mary have been left out, since the many items in this connection could form the basis of another exhibition. The display includes original works of art as well as images of Madonna representations. The medieval items are in the main statues, depicting Mary and the child Jesus in a typically Gothic style. Apart from two life-size statues, in an emphasised S posture, painted and metal-patinated with carefully sculptured clothing, probably dating from the mid-14th century, the majority originate from the second half of the 15th and first half of the 16th century. Given the lack of source information, only simple texts and presentations have been employed. In the case of the medieval works a more detailed analysis could be undertaken only with the Şumuleu Ciuc devotional statue, and the statue’s carved and painted copies have also been highlighted. The cloak of Our Lady of the Sun, a statue made around 1500, bears resemblance to the statues of Upper Hungary. From the beginning of the 18th century, numerous engravings as well as painted and carved images of the statue were made, but with most of these only the general effects of the prototype can be identified – in their details they differ from each other. In the case of the 17-18th century Marian representations, special panels present the Transylvanian variations.