...
The religion of woman and the dominant religion came to terms. This
compromise was possible because the Christian pantheon included a female
deity who, although she had not hitherto played a prominent part, held
an exceptional position: this was Mary, the Mother of the Redeemer. From
A.D. 400 to A.D. 1200, her rank had been on a level with the rank of the
antique goddesses; now the new emotion enveloped and revivified her. The
rigid, soulless image with the golden circle round the head slowly
melted into sweet womanhood. In Italy this sentiment inspired wonderful
paintings of the Madonna, and was responsible for the development of
portraiture in general. The hold of the overwhelming tradition was
broken. Rejecting the universal conviction that the historical Mary had
resembled the Mary of Byzantine art, the artist, under the dominion of
his woman-worship--which surpassed and re-valued all things--drew his
inspiration from the fulness of life. I do not agree with Thode that we
are indebted to the legend of St.
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