Mary's role in the Bible is minimal compared to that of her son, yet in late Medieval and Renaissance art, the case is different. Although the Gospels of Matthew and Mark accord her a very small role, and that of Luke, depite an enlarged early history, does little more, legend and liturgy accord her a far more important place in the story. Mark, whose Gospel is the earliest, skips Mary entirely in the beginning, choosing to start the story with John the Baptist: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mark:1-11).

Matthew starts his story early, by introducing Mary at the moment she does what it is necessary that she do: beome "with child": "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS" (Matthew 1:18-25). John dispenses in his opening with any human agency, preferring instead to begin with a divine begetting: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not" (John 1:1-5).

In place of these Mark's 11 verses, Matthews 6, and John's 5, Luke gives us over 130, introducing Mary's cousin Elizabeth, her son John, The Archangel Gabriel, shepherds, and prophets, ending with a 12-year-old Jesus teaching in the Temple and going about His Father's buiness. Luke, whose work inspired painters himself became the Patron Saint of the Painters' Guild and is often painted painting a vision of Mary holding the infant Jesus. In addition to Luke's extended stry, the Golden Legend and other literary and popular stories became important sources for the the stories of her own miraculous birth, her early dedication to God, and her love for her divine son.