Society for the Protection of Infants, 1874 1874

This silver medal, made in 1874 by Jules-Clément Chaplain, depicts a seated woman breastfeeding a baby, with another child reaching up to her. The image evokes the timeless motif of the Madonna and Child, a symbol deeply rooted in religious iconography and maternal love. This motif can be traced back to ancient depictions of nurturing goddesses, like Isis, highlighting a universal desire to represent the protective, nurturing aspect of motherhood. Yet, here, the medal also serves a specific, modern purpose: to promote the "Society for the Protection of Infants". The image is a powerful appeal to the viewer’s emotions, harnessing the primal, subconscious connection we all have to the imagery of mother and child, while subtly urging them to support the organization’s cause. The medal, then, becomes a poignant reminder of the cyclical nature of care, where ancient symbols are re-purposed to address contemporary societal needs.