If you have not already, please read the previous part in the series before continuing before continuing.
Symbolism
In traditional Madonna and Child portraits, symbolism builds the archetype of the self-sacrificing Madonna, presenting a constrictive roles for women to fulfill. However, the symbolism of these works can also be seen as empowering. Here, mothers are presented as having god-like powers over life, complete with symbols of power and fertility.
None express this more than paintings of the Immaculate Conception. Carlo Maratta’s 1663 joins this genre with that of the Madonna and Child with the the rare inclusion of baby Jesus.
Here divine power is expressed through her central placement in the composition, with the sun, the moon and stars literally encircling her. Stars have a particular symbolic importance with the Milky way symbolizing a mother’s milk.
The stabbing of the snake in Maratta’s depiction represents the conquering of evil with snakes linking to the story of Satan infiltrating Eden. But there’s another layer here, with snakes as a phallic symbol.
On one hand, these depictions can be seen as empowering for women, presenting them as conquering evil.
On the other hand, there is this underlying intention to make motherhood appealing, depicting how women could become saintlike through the role of mother.
Beauty Standards
Beauty standards, no matter the time period, portray contemporary aesthetics but also contemporary values, aligning with whatever society needed of women in that moment, like we saw with Mother Meng previously.
Madonna and Child portraits can be seen as heavily guided by the male gaze in this way. These portraits disseminate the values of sexual and religious purity under the guise of a pretty exterior. In a way, beauty standards themselves were spread via these portraits, displayed in the common meeting place for women of the church.
One trait that joins all Madonna and Child portraits in Europe is the pale skin each of the Madonnas have. Pale skin was a trait traditionally reserved for the upper classes as women of this social standing did not have to go outside and do any physically labour. Therefore, pale skin also equaled staying inside quietly in a domestic space. In other words, performing the role of the dutiful wife.
Like modern advertising, these portraits showed a fantasy of what the viewer could achieve by buying the advertised product, or -in this case- by emulating the values portrayed by the Madonna in these portraits. The pretty face aided the appeal of the role displayed.
Through Madonna and Child portraits we can map out the progression of beauty standards. Comparing Raphael’s to Bouguereau’s, for example, we can see how much they changed. The former included a wide, prominent forehead with faint eyebrows over wide set eyes, always cast down. By contrast, Bouguereau’s includes fuller lips, a low forehead with dominant brows, more in line with later Victorian beauty standards. However both are joined by symbols of fertility and purity: the white flowers, the fertile landscape in the background reflecting that of Eden and their pale skin. Both stick to these values as a markers for the contemporary woman to imitate.
Note how both are made by men. The beauty standards represent their ideas of beauty, presenting how the male gaze sneaks into even sacred pieces of art.
Conclusion (for now)
Once again, we can see how the male gaze has been ever present throughout the history of Madonna and Child portraits. The use of symbolism and beauty standards both gives and takes away power from its female viewers, but- ultimately- presents them with a singular role to fulfill: that of the mother. To follow this role and its accompanying values the woman becomes beautiful and powerful and saint-like.
Questions to consider:
How are beauty standards disseminated now? And what role do they push?
Are the symbols of purity in Madonna and Child portraits empowering?
and,
How else do beauty standards and symbolism mix in these portraits?
Further reading:
Currently reading: Perfume by Patrick Suskind
Random recommendation: Welcome to MY WORLD by aespa
Have a good day! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)