Die Mutterrolle in der Kunstgeschichte

From the portrait of the Virgin Mary to the recent photo shoot of the American singer Rihanna for the fashion magazine “Vogue”: The medial representation of mothers marks the role of women and their perception in society until today and is therefore an important part of our art history. The values of the most diverse cultures often define women by their motherhood and subordination. In art, female attributes are also communicated through the chosen clothing and fabrics. A mother figure wearing wispy lace or a heavy silk satin are poles apart in art.

The mother figure is often seen as the ultimate goal of femininity. Nevertheless, is this really the case? Moreover, what does clothing have to do with the role of a mother? In our enlightened and emancipated world, can we still identify with the representations of mothers in art? Does the perfect mother really exist?

By Jette Freiwald