Representations of Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period: Exploring Iconographic Flexibility and Permeability

Between the thirteenth and the sixteenth centuries, the cult of the Virgin Mary underwent significant changes, a shift clearly revealed by an increase in artistic representations of Mary, as well as a flourishing devotional literature in her honour. One aspect of this change was a broader attention to Mary's genealogical line, and in particular to her relationship with St Anne. The result was not only a renewed focus on the vita Annae, but also a significant overlap in how these two women were represented, juxtaposed, and perceived.
This volume traces the often significant iconographic flexibility in terms of both how the Virgin Mary and Saint Anne were presented and perceived, and what can be termed a permeability between visual representations the two saints.