Child with Ball 

Jules Schmalzigaug created this work on paper, titled “Child with Ball”. The image is dominated by a child sitting beside a blue ball, rendered with strokes that suggest the vibrant movement of youth. The ball, a potent symbol, carries echoes of ancient games and rituals. Think of the Roman "harpastum," a precursor to modern football, or the ceremonial balls used in Mesoamerican cultures, symbols of the sun and cosmic order. Even in ancient Greece, games with balls were not merely pastimes but expressions of physical prowess and social harmony. Over time, the ball has evolved, morphing from ritual object to leisure item. But it has always retained its connection to play, chance, and the cyclical nature of life itself. Consider the psychological resonance: the ball is a globe, a contained universe of potential. In this deceptively simple image, we see not just a child at play, but a profound, enduring symbol of human activity and aspiration.