Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a restful holiday break.

Katharina Fritsch's Madonnenfigur is one of the most iconic and polarizing works of contemporary German art. Based on a 12-inch, mass-produced souvenir statuette of the Madonna she found while traveling, Fritsch's version stands 170 cm tall (her own height) and is coated in saturated, matte fluorescent yellow paint. This changes your perception of what would otherwise be a deeply familiar object (to most, at least). As far as I know, the artist has never clarified whether her work is intended to be religiously respectful or satirical — so that's for you to decide.

Art: Katharina Fritsch, Madonnenfigur | Madonna Figure, 1987

Photo: Ivo Faber

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a restful holiday break.

Katharina Fritsch's Madonnenfigur is one of the most iconic and polarizing works of contemporary German art. Based on a 12-inch, mass-produced souvenir statuette of the Madonna she found while traveling, Fritsch's version stands 170 cm tall (her own height) and is coated in saturated, matte fluorescent yellow paint. This changes your perception of what would otherwise be a deeply familiar object (to most, at least). As far as I know, the artist has never clarified whether her work is intended to be religiously respectful or satirical — so that's for you to decide.

Art: Katharina Fritsch, Madonnenfigur | Madonna Figure, 1987

Photo: Ivo Faber