31 Beautiful Paintings of Mary Nursing the Baby Jesus

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The great 4th century deacon and hymn-writer St. Ephrem of Syria meditated on the great paradox of the Son of God nursing at the breast of his human mother:

When [Jesus] sucked the milk of Mary, He was suckling all with Life. While He was lying on His Mother’s bosom, in His bosom were all creatures lying. He was silent as a Babe, and yet He was making His creatures execute all His commands. (Hymns on the Nativity, Hymn 3)

What a beautiful mystery!

[See also: 13 Beautiful Non-White Depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

[See also: Why Are Demons So Afraid of Mary?]

Many artists have chosen to depict this incredible fact with painting. Listed below, in no particular order, are 31 of them.

P.S. Among all the great relics of the Church, no one can seem to find the sacred nursing cover of the Blessed Virgin Mary…

1) The Virgin Nursing the Infant, by Lucas Cranach the Elder

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2) Madonna Lactans, by anonymous master of Bruges

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3) The Virgin Nursing the Child with St. John the Baptist in Adoration, by Giampietrino

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4) Nursing Madonna, by Bernardino Luini

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5) Madonna Nursing the Christ Child, by Master of the Legend of the Magdalen

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6) Holy Virgin feeding Baby Christ with Her breast, by Юрий Рудницкий

Юрий Рудницкий / Wikimedia Commons

7) Madonna and Child Nursing, by Anonymous

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8) Madonna nursing the Child, by follower of Hans Memling

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9) The Virgin nursing the Child, by Lucas Cranach the Elder

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10) The Virgin Mary nursing the Christ Child, by Hans Memling

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11) The Virgin Nursing the Child, by Pompeo Batoni

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12) Triptych with the Madonna and Nursing Child with Saints, by Anonymous

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13) The Virgin Nursing the Child, by Albrecht Dürer

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14) Madonna Nursing, by Anonymous

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15) Madonna nursing the Child, by Robert Campin’s workshop

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16) Madonna nursing the Child, by Erasmus Quellinus II

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17) Madonna and Child, by Bernardino Luini

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18) Galaktotrophousa, by Master Ioannis

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19) Virgen de Belen, by Marcellus Coffermans

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20) Virgin and Child, by Hans Baldung

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21) Sagrada Família, by Josefa de Óbidos

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22) The Holy Family, by El Greco

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23) Holy Family, by Adriaen van der Werff

24) Madonna with Child and Parrots, by Hans Baldung

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25) Madonna with the Infant Christ and St John the Baptist, by Domenico di Pace Beccafumi

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26) Maria met kind, by Anonymous

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27) Virgin and Child, by Bernard van Orley

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28) The Circumcision of Christ, by Michiel Coxie

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29) Madonna with Child, by Rogier van der Weyden

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30) Madonna col Bambino in gloria con i santi Martino e Caterina, by Moretto da Brescia

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31) Madonna Lactans mit Josef und Johannesknabe, by Anonymous

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[See also: 3 Beautiful Celebrities Who Gave It All Up to Become Nuns]

[See also: When Mary Told McLuhan “the Medium is the Message”]

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