Women of Great Faith (Book II: An Unfortunate Gathering, facing p.38) 1949

Fritz Eichenberg rendered this image of the "Women of Great Faith" as a wood engraving. The headscarves covering the women evoke a sense of piety and humility, connecting them to a long history of female figures in religious art. Consider the veiling of women through time, in various cultural contexts, from the veiled Madonnas of Renaissance paintings, symbolizing purity and divine grace, to the grieving women in ancient Greek tragedies, their heads covered in mourning. Here, the headscarves might represent not only faith but also oppression, mirroring the collective suffering and resilience of women bound by circumstance. The motif of clasped hands and embracing figures also speaks volumes. Recall the Entombment of Christ, where Mary cradles her lifeless son; or the lamenting women surrounding the cross. These gestures of communal mourning transcend time, reflecting a deep, subconscious need for solace in the face of despair. These images resonate beyond their immediate context, revealing the enduring power of symbols and the cyclical nature of human experience.