VMs f75r - Nymph Holding Spurtle

[Barbrey]

That's about how far I'm comfortable going these days. Religious imagery was omnipresent, dominating every one of the visual arts. It seems clear to me that the VM artist(s) borrowed from that imagery. 

This can be for as simple a reason as inspiration for poses. In other words, grab the most available images as examples because you suck at drawing. 

But it can also be part of a broader programme, which is what I still believe. But I no longer pretend to know the artist's motivations. Pointing out iconographic similarities in pose and thematic content is more objective.

By the way: for the medieval viewer, Christ rising from the tomb is exactly the same story as Jonah emerging from the mouth of the fish.

And the alchemist achieving the Philosopher’s Stone, lol. 

I know you’re steering away from interpretation (a dead shame, in my opinion), but I don’t see You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. as that emergence; rather as the start of the process, in which everlasting life (Christ) is already present amongst prima materia that needs to be refined until only Christ (the Stone) is left. 

Possibly talking through my hat.