Sunday, December 21, 2008

"Benignitas" through the eyes of a tour guide...


Some religious pilgrims arrive in Rome are are horrified to see this statue in the Eternal City. But this image is not a vulgar or erotic one. It is "benignitas" and the mother simply shares her milk with others who are not her own children. Benignitas means to be kind, friendly, generous, abundant, bounteous, etc. In Maria benignitas...!

5 comments:

qualcosa di bello said...

as a former lactation consultant, this is very dear to my heart!

Mitch said...

saw that this last summer, it went right up there with the fountain of Martin Luther pouring out a keg of beer in my list of curious fountains. all in all it is a cool statue

B.K. Dolan said...

Where is this John? I have never seen it before.

John Paul Sonnen said...

Yes, it's just south of Palazzo Farnese - a one minute walk.

Anonymous said...

B.K. Dolan,
it's on the Piazza Capo di Ferro, directly opposite the facade of Palazzo Spada