Virgin and Child with St. John 1622 - 1628

This gilded bronze plaquette presents the Virgin and Child with St. John and was created by Arent van Bolten. Notice the intimate scene rendered, a theme steeped in Christian iconography. Consider the tender embrace and gaze between Mary and Jesus; an archetypal image that evokes the universal concept of motherhood. This motif appears across millennia and cultures; from ancient Egyptian depictions of Isis and Horus to Renaissance Madonnas, underscoring a primal human connection. The cross held by St. John, a symbol of Christ's future sacrifice, echoes through art history. We can trace its origins to ancient sun symbols, appropriated and reshaped into a potent signifier of Christian faith. It’s fascinating to observe how these symbols resonate, not just as religious doctrine but as powerful emotional triggers. The mother-child bond taps into our deepest collective memories and subconscious longings. Like a recurring dream, these images resurface, laden with the accumulated weight of history and culture. They are not static relics, but living carriers of emotional power, constantly reshaped by the human psyche.