Model van een sculptuur door Randolph Caldecott, voorstellend een moeder met een kind before 1887

This small model of a mother and child, made in French clay by an anonymous artist, encapsulates the timeless theme of maternal love, a motif that echoes across centuries and cultures. Here, we see a tender tableau reminiscent of the Madonna and Child, a cornerstone of Christian iconography. Yet, the mother's headdress and simple garments hint at a humble, earthly existence, grounding the sacred image in the everyday. The embrace between mother and child is a potent symbol, recurring in ancient Egyptian depictions of Isis and Horus, and even earlier fertility figures. This gesture transcends mere representation; it evokes a primal connection, resonating with our collective memory of nurture and protection. The cyclical nature of such imagery reveals how cultural memory shapes artistic expression, with artists drawing upon and reinterpreting enduring motifs. It speaks to the powerful, subconscious currents that bind us to the past, informing our present perceptions and emotional responses.