Maria zoogt het Christuskind 1620 - 1687

François Collignon created this etching, "Maria zoogt het Christuskind," sometime in the 17th century. At first glance, you're met with a scene of serene intimacy, framed within a circle. Mary, with a gentle downward gaze, nurses the Christ Child. The composition is soft, almost dreamlike, rendered in delicate lines that give a sense of warmth despite the monochromatic medium. Collignon employs line and form not just to depict a scene, but to create an intimate, tender mood. The circular frame contains the figures, creating a sense of enclosure and protection. The etching’s lines, which vary in thickness and density, give texture to the fabrics and depth to the background landscape. This recalls a semiotic system where formal elements function as signs, pointing to broader cultural codes around motherhood and divinity. Notice, finally, how the formal constraints of the circle and the etched lines work together to evoke not just a religious scene, but a meditation on care and humanity.