Fotoreproductie van een tekening, voorstellende Gretchen valt neer voor een sculptuur van de Piëta before 1880

This anonymous drawing captures Gretchen kneeling before a Pieta sculpture, a potent symbol of sorrow in the Christian tradition. The Pieta, depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead Christ, embodies grief, compassion, and maternal love. This motif resonates deeply with the archetype of the Mater Dolorosa, the sorrowful mother. We see echoes of this figure in ancient depictions of mourning goddesses. Consider the ancient Mesopotamian goddess Inanna’s descent into the underworld, a journey marked by loss and grief. The postures of lamentation and the embrace of the dead are ancient gestures, recurring across cultures and epochs. The enduring power of this imagery lies in its ability to evoke empathy. It taps into our collective memory of suffering. This image, like countless others, reveals the cyclical, non-linear journey of symbols, constantly resurfacing, and evolving to reflect our deepest fears and hopes.