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Connections: Motherhood

Lecturer Jean Sorabella finds inspiration in idealized depictions of mothers.
5 min. watch

"She makes it look so easy, and she's never punishing the Christ child, or giving him a time-out."

Lecturer Jean Sorabella finds inspiration in idealized depictions of mothers.

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Art Mentioned

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Mother and Child (The Oval Mirror), Mary Cassatt American, Oil on canvas, American
Mother and Child (The Oval Mirror)
Mary Cassatt
ca. 1899
A Mother's Pearls, Thomas Seir Cummings American, born England, Watercolor on ivory, American
A Mother's Pearls
Thomas Seir Cummings
1841
Yashoda with the Infant Krishna , Copper alloy, India (Tamil Nadu, Pudukkottai and Tanjavur districts)
Yashoda with the Infant Krishna
India (Tamil Nadu, Pudukkottai and Tanjavur districts)
early 12th century
“Hour of the Rat: Mistress,” from the series Women’s Daily Customs (Fuzoku bijin tokei), Kitagawa Utamaro Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan
“Hour of the Rat: Mistress,” from the series Women’s Daily Customs (Fuzoku bijin tokei)
Kitagawa Utamaro
1790
Louise Brongniart, Jean Antoine Houdon French, Marble, French, Paris
Louise Brongniart
Jean Antoine Houdon
1779, after a portrait of 1777
Marble grave stele of a little girl, Marble, Parian, Greek
Marble grave stele of a little girl
Greek
ca. 450–440 BCE
Bronze statue of Eros sleeping, Bronze, Greek
Bronze statue of Eros sleeping
Greek
3rd–2nd century BCE
Madonna and Child, Giovanni Bellini Italian, Oil on wood
Madonna and Child
Giovanni Bellini
late 1480s
Virgin and Child, Dieric Bouts Netherlandish, Oil on wood
Virgin and Child
Dieric Bouts
ca. 1455–60
Hagar in the Wilderness, Camille Corot French, Oil on canvas
Hagar in the Wilderness
Camille Corot
1835
Christ Taking Leave of His Mother, Gerard David Netherlandish, Oil on wood
Christ Taking Leave of His Mother
Gerard David
ca. 1500
Andromache and Astyanax, Pierre Paul Prud'hon French, Oil on canvas
Andromache and Astyanax
Pierre Paul Prud'hon
?1813–17; 1823–24?
Charity, Guido Reni Italian, Oil on canvas
Charity
Guido Reni
ca. 1630
Venus and Adonis, Peter Paul Rubens Flemish, Oil on canvas
Venus and Adonis
Peter Paul Rubens
probably mid-1630s
Madonna and Child, Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) Italian, Oil on wood
Madonna and Child
Titian (Tiziano Vecellio)
ca. 1508
The Dance Class, Edgar Degas French, Oil on canvas
The Dance Class
Edgar Degas
1874
Two Princesses, Limestone, paint
Two Princesses
ca. 1353–1336 B.C.