The Virgin seated with the Christ Child on her lap embracing her, St Joseph seen through an archway at right, after Reni 1595 - 1645

This engraving, after Reni, depicts the Virgin Mary seated, tenderly embracing the Christ Child. The halos above their heads are visual cues, identifying them as divine figures within a Christian context. The motif of the Madonna and Child is a powerful representation, echoing through art history from ancient Egyptian depictions of Isis and Horus to countless Renaissance paintings. The embrace, a universal gesture of love and protection, speaks to the deep, primal connection between mother and child. This iconography touches something profound within us, stirring collective memories of comfort, security, and unconditional love. But observe how the artist subtly introduces Saint Joseph through the archway, into this intimate scene of mother and child. A reminder that even in the most sacred bonds, the world outside—with its trials and tribulations—encroaches.