44 BULLETIN 148, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



the most exalted of created beings. She is called the "Blessed 

 Virgin," the "Holy Virgin," "Our Lady" (Itahan "Madonna"), and 

 since the Council of Ephesus in 431 the designation "Mother of God" 

 is formally applied to her. While the veneration paid to other saints 

 is termed dulia, she alone is entitled to hyperdulia, and her intercession 

 is invoked more than that of all others. She is the patroness of many 

 countries, cities, and societies. In ecclesiastical art she occupies a 

 most important position, and all the chief events of her life have 

 formed the subjects of artistic representation. Height, 12 inches. 

 Italy. (Cat. No. 179049, U.S.N.M.) 



152. "Virgin of the Pillar." — Statuette made of brass, chiseled 

 work, representing Mary standing upon a pillar, holding in her left 

 arm the Infant Jesus, both crowned, with a halo of rays and stars. 

 This is a model of a celebrated statue of that name (Neustra Senora 

 del Pilar), at Saragossa in Spain. Tradition asserts that the Virgin,, 

 standing upon a pillar, appeared to St. James (San Jago), the apostle 

 and patron saint of Spain, when he was making a missionary pilgrim- 

 age through Spain. Height, 7 inches. Spain. (Cat. No. 178866, 

 U.S.N.M.) 



153. Madonna of the Pillar. — Statuette of silver. Height, 3K 

 inches. Spain. (Cat. No. 311831, U.S.N.M.) Bequest of Miss 

 Elizabeth S. Stevens. 



154. " Virgin oj the Pillar." — Miniature statuette of silver, gilded. 

 Height, 2% inches. Spain. (Cat. No. 178865, U.S.N.M.) 



155. Statuette oj Mary. — Called "Virgin of Good Friday." Made 

 of brass, chiseled work. Heighf, 4}^ inches. Madrid, Spain. (Cat. 

 No. 178867, U.S.N.M.) 



156. Madonna, Crowned, until Infant. — Statuette of wood. Height, 

 12)^ inches. Italy. (Cat. No. 311824, U.S.N.M.) Bequest of Miss 

 Ehzabeth S. Stevens. 



157. Madonna with the Infant Jesus. — Statuette of carved .wood. 

 Height, 6 inches. Italy. (Cat. No. 329510, U.S.N.M.) Bequest of 

 Miss Catherine Walden Myer. 



158. Bust of Mary. — Made of papier-mache, with a dome-shaped 

 crown. Height, 10 inches. Italy. (Cat. No. 179052, U.S.N.M.) 



159. "Pie/a."— Mary holding the body of Christ. Statuette of 

 wood, painted. Height, 13 inches. Italy. (Cat. No. 179048, 

 U.S.N.M.) 



160. ^'Pieta." — The same as the preceding one. Height, 12 inches 

 Italy. (Cat. No. 179048a, U.S.N.M.) 



161. Crown. — Made of bronze, gilded, and adorned with colored 

 stones. Dates from the seventeenth century. It decorated an 

 image of Mary in the demolished church of St. Anna, the former 

 nunnery, Zbraslovski Dom, in Prague, Bohemia. Height, 5 inches; 

 diameter, 4 inches. Prague, Bohemia. (Cat. No. 154776, U.S.N.M.) 



