Weduwe van Edward IV staat haar zoon aan twee aartsbisschoppen af Possibly 1786

Francesco Bartolozzi's etching captures a poignant moment: the widow of Edward IV entrusting her son to two archbishops. The gesture of handing over a child, fraught with vulnerability, speaks to themes of protection and sacrifice that resonate deeply within us. This motif of offering, of relinquishing a precious being for a higher purpose, echoes through art history. Consider the biblical scene of Abraham offering Isaac, or the countless depictions of the Madonna and Child, where the infant Jesus is both a symbol of divine hope and a vulnerable human. Here, the widow’s act carries not only maternal love but also political weight. She relinquishes power and security, entrusting her son to the Church. The archbishops, symbols of religious authority, become guardians in a tumultuous world. This transaction is laden with psychological tension, as the viewer senses the uncertain future awaiting the young duke, a future shaped by forces beyond his control. It serves as a potent reminder of the enduring power of symbols to convey complex emotions across time.