Paternal Kindness c. 1767

Curator: This is Louis Marin Bonnet’s “Paternal Kindness,” a print held here at the Harvard Art Museums. There isn't a precise date for it, but we know Bonnet was active in the latter half of the 18th century. Editor: It has a rather touching air, actually. The dove in the father’s hand is a symbol I recognize immediately. It gives the image an unusual sense of fragility. Curator: Indeed. The dove is emblematic of peace and tenderness, qualities then deemed central to enlightened paternal guidance. We see the cultural shift towards valuing gentler forms of authority in family life. Editor: It strikes me how the children almost cling to the man. Even the child with the bowl at his feet looks to the father for affection. Curator: The artist captures a changing attitude towards children in society. The symbolism present transforms fatherhood itself into a tender, compassionate emblem. Editor: I appreciate how this singular image encapsulates changing social values around the family dynamic. Curator: Me too, the intersection of the historical and the symbolic gives it a unique voice.