| The Virgin of the Lilies | |
| Artist: | William-Adolphe Bouguereau |
| Year: | 1899 |
| Medium: | Oil on canvas |
| Height Metric: | 27 |
| Width Metric: | 18.5 |
| Metric Unit: | cm |
| Imperial Unit: | in |
The Virgin of the Lilies (fr|'''La Vierge au lys'''), also known as The Madonna of the Lilies, is an 1899 oil painting by the French artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau, now owned by a private owner.[1] Its dimensions are 27 × 18.5 cm.[2]
The Virgin Mary is depicted in a seated position, perhaps on the Throne of Wisdom. She is carrying the Christ Child whose arms are stretched out, as if giving a blessing. Lilies are used to symbolise Mary's purity and innocence, and thus are regularly depicted with her, especially during paintings of the Annunciation.[3]
The poses of Mary and Jesus match the painting Queen of the Angels, another painting by Bouguereau of a similar theme.
The position of the halos also mirror the painting Pieta, the only difference being the age and facial expressions of Mary and Jesus.[4]