Et barn lader sin moder lugte til nogle blomster 1657 - 1715

Jacob d’ Agar painted “A child lets his mother smell some flowers” sometime between 1642 and 1715 using oil on canvas. Agar, born in Paris to a family of artists, spent much of his career as a portrait painter, producing works for the Royal Danish Court. This painting invites us to consider the visual tropes of motherhood and beauty in the 17th century. The idealized portrayal of the mother with her bare breast can be seen as a representation of fertility and nourishment, common in the art of that time. Yet, the child, whose body appears aged, challenges conventional depictions of childhood innocence. The asymmetry in their appearances prompts questions about the societal expectations of motherhood and the varied realities of human life. The act of sharing flowers can be read as an intimate moment, a quiet acknowledgment of the beauty and fragility inherent in both life and art.