Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture 1

In the chapter on Iconophily and Iconoclasm (which revolves around the concept of holy icons) two sides of the virgin mary are discussed: Mary as a nurturer and Mary as a "protectress" (162). This discussion derives from the rise of the cult of the Virgin Mary, in which many new forms of iconoclastic art had been produced. I found it interesting when the author talked about how Mary's feminine quality, with the exceptions of her motherhood and compassion, were potentially based off of maintaining a feminine image within "a patrilineal system" (161). Basically the author hints at the fact that religious iconography, especially around the beginning of the cult of the virgin mary in the medieval times, was highly controlled by the visions that the patriarchy wanted to portray. While this isn't hard to believe, considering the medieval era was not commonly invested in a matriarchal perspective, it is interesting to see the virgin mary portrayed in two uniquely different ways. If, during earlier times, the matriarchy did have more involvement in the production of these icons, how would the icons of the Virgin Mary be different?