Maria met het Christuskind dat op een kussen ligt c. 1623 - 1686

This engraving by Jonas Suyderhoef captures the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the Christ Child. The intimate act of maternal nourishment carries deep symbolic weight. Throughout art history, the Madonna Lactans, or nursing Madonna, appears in diverse cultures. From ancient Egyptian depictions of Isis feeding Horus, to Byzantine icons, the motif highlights the life-giving power of the mother and her nurturing bond with her child. Consider how this gesture transcends religious boundaries, echoing primal human connections. Yet, here, the portrayal is fraught with psychoanalytic tension, where the act of breastfeeding can be interpreted as the infant's primal desires. This image also carries the weight of salvation, offering spiritual nourishment to a suffering world. This cyclical image resurfaces, evolved, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts, continually engaging viewers on a subconscious level.