Adoration of the Madonna and Child 1400 - 1600

This is an anonymous drawing of the ‘Adoration of the Madonna and Child’. In muted greys, the figures emerge from the page, drawing us into a moment of reverence. The image reflects the religious fervor and social hierarchies that shaped much of Western art for centuries. Mary, as the mother of Jesus, occupies a central role, embodying ideals of motherhood and purity. The act of adoration highlights a complex dynamic of power and submission, seen through the eyes of the kneeling figures. Consider how gender and religious identity intersect here. Mary's elevated status exists within a framework that often constrained women's roles. What might this scene communicate about the relationship between the divine and the human, the powerful and the powerless? This drawing invites us to reflect on the stories we tell and the values we uphold through art.