Musée des beaux arts

So I visited Lyon a couple of weeks ago and we briefly popped into the Musée des Beaux Arts. I didn't really get to see as many paintings as I would have liked because we were short for time, but there are some gems in there. I liked this one because it reminded me so much of what our states ought to be.

Sorry the quality isn't great (my phone's camera isn't amazing). I don't recall who painted this but it's on the second floor of the gallery in the 15th-19th century collection for the record and maybe if I get the chance to go again, I'll note it down.

Anyway, painters aside, I sat looking at the painting for some time, quite disturbed at first that there were angels under the feet of Mary- almost being treaded on- looking rather squashed. I also found it rather interesting that many paintings of Mary in this time period were without her head covered in the nun-like fashion we're used to seeing in churches. But back to the angels being stood on: I looked closely at the rest of the painting to see that the cloud-like composition was in fact many more angels surrounding Mary, so they were representing the celestial realms or at least the Omnipresence of the Divine for it then appeared more sensible that these angels were 'beneath' Mary when I looked more at her positioning- not in the Christian narrative as the mother of God but physically in the painting.

So Mary is evidently looking heavenwards, with the light behind her indicating the Divinity she is seeking and looking towards. Her arms are open, and most importantly, receptive. They are receptive to the Divine, to knowledge of Him and her bosom is open to receiving the Light of Faith. She is opening herself up like a vessel ready to contain the Divine Truths and Secrets. She is wrapped in the blue garment of Truth and of course with the red/ pink it de-genders her because she represents both man and woman. Now as a person who is open and receptive to God and His Truth, I realised why angels were surrounding her and especially beneath her. For when we open our hearts up to God and truly seek Him, God, in His Infinite Power, elevates our status, and our rank in this world to take us closer to Him in the spiritual realms. The whole of the universe, in His Power, comes together to elevate us and take us closer to Him (hence the angels taking Mary upwards), presuming we seek Him and want Him,  because by doing this we are finding our original states again, returning to Him.

And if you want to add another dimension to the human-angel positioning, we just need to recall the concept that humans, when they are purified and submit completely, transcend the level of the angels because humans have desires that the angels do not have to fight against.

But ultimately, we need to be Mary and God will take us to Him.