Hortus conclusus

The Hortus conclusus (latin closed or secret garden ) is a picture topic or an immanent picture on the visual arts, and plays a special role in the Marian symbolism.

This image is based on an interpretation of the Song of the Old Testament. It reads:

Also in different visions of mystics appeared on this symbolism, such as in Mariale the Abbot of Perseigne in which the Virgin Mary is compared to a locked garden. There symbolize white Madonna lilies her virginity and the thornless rose inexhaustible mercy. So on many paintings Marie a fenced garden, the Hortus conclusus is indicated. In this garden plants are regularly shown which are like the Easter Lily and the thornless rose also in relation to Mary:

• Common Columbine
• Wild strawberries
• Iris
• Lily of the valley

In place of pilgrimage Warfhuizen in the Netherlands, the Virgin Mary is dedicated to the hermitage of Our Lady of the locked garden.

A well-known, but not conclusive in itself and cut-away illustrations of the Hortus conclusus is the Garden of Eden, which was created about 1410 and comes from the Upper Rhenish Master. It shows Mary in a enclosed by a walled garden, surrounded by angels and saints. The Hortus conclusus is often only hinted at. In Jan van Eyck's Madonna of Chancellor Nicholas Rolin only present in the background wall and the little garden in front of it located with roses, irises and lilies of the motif of the Hortus conclusus suggests. When Stuppacher Madonna of Matthias Grünewald, it is the closed gates, which creates the reference to it.