Jonge vrouw en kind op bed 1831 - 1890

This is an engraving by Jean Baptiste Pierre Michiels, depicting a young woman and child on a bed. Note the prominent motif of the child reaching upwards, a gesture resonating through the ages. This upward reach is not merely a physical action; it's a primal, almost archetypal symbol, echoing the reaching hands in Renaissance depictions of the Virgin and Child. Think of the Madonna Eleusa, where the Christ Child embraces his mother, their faces close, imbued with tenderness and a hint of sorrow. The dynamic of reach and embrace reflects humanity’s deepest desires for connection and protection, recurring in various forms across art history, and evoking an emotional state of longing. Such gestures tap into a collective memory, a subconscious recognition of shared human experiences, and become powerful in the eye of the beholder. The cycle continues, as this primal symbol resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts.