The Prayers 2004

This painting by Bo Bartlett features three young women in a tableau rich with symbolic undertones. Note the figure adorned with a laurel wreath, a classical motif signifying victory, honor, or scholarly achievement. Its roots trace back to ancient Greece, where it crowned victors and poets, evolving through Roman emperors' adornment to Renaissance emblems of artistic and intellectual triumph. Such symbols echo in Botticelli's "Primavera," where Flora is crowned similarly, embodying spring's renewal. The recurring presence of this symbol speaks to our collective unconscious, a deep-seated yearning for recognition and legacy. In this modern context, the wreath invites us to question: what victories do these women seek, and what burdens of history do they carry? Consider the emotional weight of this juxtaposition—the ancient laurel, emblem of enduring glory, placed upon a contemporary woman, reflecting the timeless human aspiration for significance. The symbol's journey from antiquity to today highlights our continuous dialogue with the past, as symbols are passed down through history, shifting in meaning and resonating on subconscious levels.