Maria met kind 1630 - 1686

This print, made by Gilles Rousselet in the 17th century, depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child. Note how Mary's gaze is cast downward, a gesture of humility, while the infant Christ reaches upward, symbolizing humanity’s yearning for the divine. The image's resonance lies in its echo of ancient motifs of maternal deities. Consider Isis nursing Horus, a pagan image that shares a striking similarity with this tender Christian scene. The maternal embrace has long served as a potent symbol, connecting viewers to primal emotions. Here, Rousselet has tapped into a deeply ingrained archetype. The upward reach of the child, a gesture repeated throughout art history, carries a profound emotional charge. It speaks to our collective, subconscious desire for connection and transcendence, a theme that resurfaces in countless forms across time.