Mother And Child 1890

Maurice Denis painted “Mother and Child” using oil on cardboard with dimensions of 46.5 x 39 cm. Denis was a member of the Nabis, a group of Post-Impressionist avant-garde artists who set the course for much early twentieth-century painting. The Nabis were deeply interested in how art could represent a space for spiritual experience in the modern world. “Mother and Child” draws from a long history of devotional painting, re-framing the imagery of the Madonna within the intimate space of the home. The painting also makes use of flattened perspective and decorative patterning associated with Japanese prints, a trendy interest at the time. Given Denis’s strong Catholic faith, we might see the painting as a commentary on the role of the church in everyday life. If we consult Denis’s diaries and letters, we find evidence to support this claim. We can see the artist self-consciously positioning himself within a specific cultural discourse, using the language of faith to reflect on motherhood. The art historian is tasked with carefully reconstructing such discourses in order to fully appreciate the artwork’s historical significance.