MikeTheAltarboy
I tend to see the papesse as the church. It does have Annunciation characteristics (perhaps the book she's reading is a Book of Hours of the Blessed Virgin!) But Mary is often a type of Mother Church, who might be portrayed older than the young Mary. I feel like I've seen an image in a book of hours that either had the Virgin Mary or the Patroness of the book ( I can't remember) in the foreground, and behind her a window looking into a church building with the Blessed Virgin (Or the Church?) looking very Popessy with the baby Jesus on her lap.
One thing I'd be curious to investigate more is that she wears a crossed stole. That's proper to a Priest specifically: a bishop (including the pope), or a deacon would wear their stoles otherwise. Some consecrated virgins were given stoles at their solemn professions at the time, but worn deacon-wise. Placed thus on a woman, it would almost have be a clear indicator of an allegorical presentation, I would think.
One thing I'd be curious to investigate more is that she wears a crossed stole. That's proper to a Priest specifically: a bishop (including the pope), or a deacon would wear their stoles otherwise. Some consecrated virgins were given stoles at their solemn professions at the time, but worn deacon-wise. Placed thus on a woman, it would almost have be a clear indicator of an allegorical presentation, I would think.
