Mother and Child

Art and Visual Culture

Assignment 3: Mother and Child

3/7/06

ASSIGNMENT 3:

Mother and Child

Throughout art history, artists have used the theme of mother and child for

religious purposes, for cultural purposes, and for expressing the strong

relationship between mother and child.

You can find examples mother and child in the art of Egyptians, Greeks, and

Romans. Medieval art and art of the Reniassance often depicts Mary and the

Christ child to communicate bible stories for those that could not read.

Tribes of Africa such as the Dogon tribe, Asian art, Native American art, and

even folk art often depict a non-religious representation of the mother and

child. Many photographs taken during the Great Depression or during

wartime show the anguish, poverty, and yet the bonds between the mother

and child.

The mother and child theme can be found in EVERY culture and in EVERY

society througout human history.

For this assignment, you are to find TWO examples of mother and child in

art...paintings, drawings, sculpture, photographs...from two diffferent time

period and two different culture. Then compare and contrast the art in your

essay.

PART 1

Present and explain each of the art pieces you chose. Discuss the social,

cultural, or religious purpose for each piece you chose.

PART 2

Identify the design principles evident in each piece. Also describe the visual

cues for each piece you chose, explaining how visual cues conveys the

feeling and relationship between the mother and child. Which piece conveys

the strongest message? Why?

PART 3

How have the artists (or the people/person who made the art) used the

mother and child relationship in each work to express feelings and emotions

and to tell a story? What story do they each