Maria met kind en Johannes de Doper 1835 - 1899

Johann Leonhard Raab created this image of Mary with Child and John the Baptist using a technique that transfers images, sometime in the 19th century. Here, Mary embodies a tradition that stretches back to antiquity, the maternal figure, the bringer of life. Her gentle gaze and embrace speak to the tenderness, and the halo indicates divine status. John the Baptist, often depicted with the infant Christ, is a symbol of anticipation and heralds Christ's coming. Consider how this scene echoes ancient depictions of mother goddesses. The nurturing embrace, the protective stance—these are gestures that transcend time. Think of Isis cradling Horus, the Egyptian mother goddess nurturing her son. The Madonna and Child is a Christian re-imagining of the eternal mother-child bond, deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. The symbols evolve, yet the underlying emotions, the primal connection between mother and child, persist. The cyclical return of these motifs speaks to our enduring need for comfort, protection, and hope.