Fons signatus: a theological symbol in Christian doctrine and Marian iconography

Among the many metaphors with which Christian doctrinal tradition has designated the Virgin Mary, this article focuses on analyzing the “sealed fountain” (Fons signatus) from the Song of Solomon, as attested by numerous theological texts and some Marian images. The author begins by analyzing many testimonies from Fathers and medieval theologians of the Latin Church on this subject; secondly, he analyzes a large set of fragments of medieval liturgical hymns that poetically reconfigure this metaphor; in a third section, he analyzes five 15th-century Marian paintings that depict a sealed fountain invested with a clear symbolic intent. Finally, the author summarizes the results of the analysis of the texts and images, highlighting the essential relationship between the two.