Paintings

You've probably wondered what the two symbols that represent man and woman actually mean. Representing two planets, iron, copper and a pair of Olympian gods, the classic symbols for man and woman carry a lot of meaning in just a few lines.

Long before the word "sanctuary" meant what it means to us today, the Greeks already had a sacred place devoted to water and to those who inhabited it. It wasn't just a beautiful space: it was the earthly home of minor divinities who, it was believed, could bless or punish anyone who dared disturb them. They were the nymphs, and the place where they were honored was called a nymphaeum.

Before the first ray of sunlight touches the valleys, the peaks keep secrets that mortals rarely get to witness. To the ancient Greeks, mountains were never empty places: they could also be home to spirits of nature, eternally beautiful young women who embodied the wild beauty of the earth. They were the nymphs.

In 1435, a man who knew he was nearing the end of his life commissioned a painting. He didn't ask for an epic scene or an imposing portrait of his power. He asked for something more intimate: to appear kneeling, face to face with the Virgin Mary, as if that audience could be bought with enough money and enough faith.