Martin Schongauer contributed the Virgin in the Rose Garden, c. 1473. This extraordinary altar of the Virgin Mary in the rose garden in a celebration of the coronation takes you to the very depths of your heart. Colmar is more famous for the past monastery library there including the church leaves of Matthias Grunewald equally as special. The garden theme is an extremely deep philosophical equation of Christ equalling the garden and has been more often than not taken to Satan rather than the devil. Such an equation would not take you back up to God, happening the divine understanding of the garden has to take you to the roses post the thorns of Christ. God would have informed the Madonna her babe was going to death via ascension to God on Christ's birthday of his 33rd year. Schongauer's humanity is deeply expressed here with his altarpiece. The ascension understanding of the divine garden of earthly delights is visually expressive with red and gold.
