Virgin and Child with St. Joseph 1530 - 1565

This plaquette of the Virgin and Child with St. Joseph was created by Moderno in the late 15th or early 16th century. Here, the nursing Madonna embodies a powerful symbol of maternal love and nourishment, a motif that has traversed epochs and cultures. Consider the ancient Egyptian depictions of Isis nursing Horus; the archetype of the nurturing mother is deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. This imagery resonates with the Fraumutter, the archetypal Great Mother of antiquity, whose symbolism of fertility and protection has been continuously reinterpreted through the ages. The act of breastfeeding itself—a biological imperative—becomes a potent visual symbol, eliciting profound emotional responses. This primal scene taps into our earliest experiences of comfort and security, engaging viewers on a visceral, subconscious level. From the ancient goddesses to the Madonna, this image resurfaces, evolving and acquiring new layers of meaning. It’s not a linear progression but a cyclical return, reflecting our enduring fascination with the archetypal mother, the source of life and solace.