Black Madonnas: Origin, History, Controversy

The topic of “Black Madonnas: Origin, History, Controversy” by Michael Duricy is as stated in its title. Duricy doesn’t have a specific thesis but instead explains black Marian works and how they’ve been interpreted. He also explains the effects of black people on these theological artistic pieces and any controversies that may have arisen. Duricy does this by outlining black Madonna’s three classifications, his interpretation of them, and how they depicted in biblical texts.
Duricy initiates his article by explaining the specific meaning of “Black Madonna” he uses. The better-known meaning of a black Madonna is a dark-skinned depiction of Mary, whereas the meaning in his article is “a type of Marian statue or painting of mainly medieval origin, of dark or black features whose exact origins are not always easy to determine, and most important, of particular prominence”. This specification allows me to know the exact meaning of a black madonna before reading about them.
Leonard Moss’s three classifications of black Madonnas are used to describe the historical origins of black Madonnas. Duricy says that the three categories are dark toned Madonnas with physical characteristics that are similar to indigenous populations, art pieces that appear dark because of physical elements, and works that …show more content…
For example, he mentions the phrase “I am black but beautiful” which is from the Songs of Songs. This serves as an example of how dark-skinned women were described in biblical texts. Duricy mentions Stephen Benko’s interpretation of a black Madonna that originated from Greek contexts. Benko believed the “Black Madonna is the ancient earth-goddess” that was translated into Christian contexts. The inclusion of these examples validates his notion of black Madonnas because it gives insightful evidence. It also gives space for possible controversies and