Portret van een vrouw met twee kinderen 1884 - 1903

Onnes Kurkdjian captured this portrait of a woman and two children with photography, a relatively new medium in the late 19th century. The grouping of mother and children immediately evokes a sense of familial unity. This arrangement echoes the iconic compositions of the Madonna and Child found in Renaissance art. The protective gesture of the mother, reminiscent of the Virgin Mary, is a motif deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. Consider Raphael's 'Madonna della Seggiola,' where Mary embraces her child, a pose that reverberates through centuries. Yet, here, the children gaze directly out, their expressions carrying a weight that transcends mere portraiture. It is as though they are grappling with the world's gaze, a silent acknowledgement of the future they will inherit. This complex interplay of emotions, layered onto a familiar symbolic structure, reveals photography's capacity to not only capture reality but also tap into our deepest emotional reserves, offering a mirror to our shared human experience across time.