 The iconography is not overly labored , and Memling avoids extraneous symbolism . Many elements emphasize Mary 's role as the Mother of God ; the chamber is furnished with simple everyday objects that indicate her purity . The vase of lilies and the items on the sideboard are objects 15th @-@ century viewers would have associated with her . White lilies were often used to signify her purity , while irises or sword lilies were used as metaphors for her suffering . Memling emphasizes symbols associated with her womb and virginity , and " introduces two additional angelic priests , and floods the room with natural light , thereby rearranging the anecdotal to emphasize the doctrinal meaning . " Charles Sterling describes the work as " one of the finest examples of Memling 's ability to take a pictorial convention inherited from his predecessors and infuse it with a heightened sense of emotion and narrative complexity . " 
