Madame Roulin 1888

Paul Gauguin painted Madame Roulin with oil on canvas, immortalizing her with a profound maternal essence. The most striking feature is her hands resting calmly in her lap, a universal symbol of a mother's care. This gesture echoes across centuries, from ancient Roman depictions of motherhood to Renaissance Madonnas. Consider the way the Madonna's hand gently rests upon the child, mirroring this pose. The image transcends time and space. The act of repose, of maternal hands at rest, is not merely physical; it is a powerful emotional motif. It resonates with a collective memory of nurture and safety. This pose conveys a sense of profound psychological comfort. Gauguin taps into our shared subconscious associations with motherhood. Through his brush, Gauguin captured not just Madame Roulin, but the timeless archetype of the mother, a figure whose symbolic power continues to engage and resonate, a cyclical motif, throughout the ages.