Untitled (smiling woman holding young girl on her lap) after 1940

This photograph by Paul Gittings captures a woman seated, tenderly cradling a young girl in her lap. The image immediately calls to mind the age-old motif of the Madonna and Child, a symbol deeply embedded in our collective memory. This sacred iconography finds echoes throughout art history, from Byzantine icons to Renaissance paintings. The protective gesture and intimate connection between mother and child are universally understood, yet their symbolism shifts over time. In antiquity, the mother figure represented fertility and life-giving power, while in Christian art, she embodies purity and divine grace. Here, the photograph taps into these historical currents, evoking a sense of timelessness and universal human experience. The slightly melancholic, yet hopeful expression of the young girl perhaps reflects a subconscious awareness of the challenges and uncertainties of life. Ultimately, this image serves as a poignant reminder of the cyclical nature of life, the enduring power of maternal love, and how certain archetypal figures transcend time and culture, resurfacing in new forms to touch our souls.