Maria met kind op schoot 1588 - 1602

This engraving of the Virgin and Child was created by Jacob Matham around the turn of the 17th century. Look at the apple that Mary offers her son; an inversion of the fruit Eve offered Adam, representing the fall from grace. Here, it is the promise of redemption and the possibility of reversing humanity’s original sin through Christ. The motif of Mary and the Christ Child extends back through time and is visualized in various forms across cultures. Think back to the Egyptian goddess Isis with her son Horus, a symbolic representation of divine motherhood and protection. The gesture of offering, seen here with the apple, becomes more than a simple action; it's a profound statement of hope, faith, and the cyclical nature of human experience. It is a testament to the enduring power of symbols to engage viewers on a subconscious level. The symbols in the engraving carry emotional and psychological weight, continually resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings across different historical contexts.