La Vierge au lys

The Virgin of the Lilies (French: La Vierge au lys), also known as The Madonna of the Lilies, is an 1899 oil painting by the French artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau, now owned by a private owner.^[1] Its dimensions are 27 × 18.5 cm.^[2]

The Virgin of the Lilies
Artist	William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Year	1899
Medium	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	27 cm × 18.5 cm (11 in × 7.3 in)

Description

The Virgin Mary is depicted in a seated position, perhaps on the Throne of Wisdom. She is carrying the Christ Child whose arms are stretched out, as if giving a blessing. Lilies are used to symbolise Mary's purity and innocence, and thus are regularly depicted with her, especially during paintings of the Annunciation.^[3]

Similarities with other paintings

The poses of Mary and Jesus match the painting Queen of the Angels, another painting by Bouguereau of a similar theme.

The position of the halos also mirror the painting Pieta, the only difference being the age and facial expressions of Mary and Jesus.^[4]