Dimensions: 74.5 x 62.5 cm
Copyright: Public Domain
Hans Thoma painted "Under the Elder Bush" in 1871 with oil on canvas. At its heart, the image presents an almost universal motif: the mother and child. The tender embrace echoes the Madonna and Child, a staple in Christian iconography. But here, the setting shifts from divine to earthly, nestled beneath the protective elder bush. This natural canopy, with its rich folklore associations, replaces the gilded halos. The elder tree itself, often linked to healing and protection, deepens the sense of refuge and maternal care. Consider this primal image, this archetype, as a form of sympathetic magic. It connects us across time and space to shared emotions—love, security, and the profound bond between mother and child. It evokes a powerful force, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level through a certain gesture or composition that conveys intense emotional states. The image speaks to the cyclical nature of these timeless themes, resurfacing and evolving through different eras, continuously shaped by our collective memory and subconscious.
Comments
A young woman sits in front of a flowering elder bush, which is still called "lilac" in some parts of the world. She gazes tenderly at the sleeping child in her lap. The intimate attention and familiarity suggest a mother with child. In fact, however, Thoma was modelling his younger sister Agathe (1848–1928) and a boy who was probably also a relative. The group, composed as a stable triangle, is reminiscent of depictions of the Virgin Mary with her Son. Hence, this summer idyll can be considered a precursor for the numerous religious motifs in the artist's later oeuvre.
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