Girl with ball 

Niko Pirosmani painted this image of a "Girl with Ball," sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The girl, adorned in finery, clutches a balloon, her conical hat casting a shadow over her expression. Here, the balloon is more than a simple toy. It echoes images of globus cruciger, where a sphere is topped with a cross, symbolizing dominion over the world. This motif, common in imperial and religious art, appears in portraits of monarchs and saints alike. Yet, in Pirosmani's rendering, the cross is absent. The balloon becomes a symbol of earthly power, held precariously by a child. The subconscious anxieties of authority and control manifest through this simple object. Balloons return as bubbles in paintings from other times, underscoring the fleeting nature of life and the illusion of control. It makes me think, does it not? How the images of childhood, balloons, can evoke feelings of fragility and transient power.