Image of the Week: World Mother (ver. 2)
© D. Yael Bernhard
World Mother is another illustration that was commissioned back in the 90s by a progressive religious publisher. What you see here is just about the actual size. The assignment was to depict a community of diverse, ordinary people blessed with justice and charity. The people are symbolic, representing workers and families. I chose to depict hands-on occupations like farming and building that can be represented visually. These humble folk are embraced by a maternal figure who symbolizes caring and compassion – something we could all use a good dose of these days.
The divine mother is close to my heart, and she continually manifests in numerous traditions around the world. In my publisher's mind, this is the Virgin Mary, revered in Christianity and expressed in some of the most beautiful art of the Renaissance. But in my mind, she is the World Mother. She is the nurturing essence of community, surrounding humanity with her inclusive embrace. All people are equally cared for in this image, which my publisher wanted emphasized. This is the positive aspect of religious community: people helping each other, or what is called in Judaism gemilut chasidim – acts of kindness. This was the subject of my rabbi's missive this week, which inspired me to choose this image.
Many people are feeling an acute lack of community right now. Online resources are available, but they lack warmth and intimacy. As winter sets in and the pandemic wears on, our hunger for human contact is sorely felt. How ironic that this very sense of isolation is so widely shared! Human company is made all the more precious in these dark times. Yet there's also something larger that connects us to each other, and that holds us in her embrace. In those moments when I feel part of that, I truly feel blessed.
World Mother is the second of two versions I painted of this concept. Version 1 is on my old blog, here. Both may be ordered from my webstore as greeting cards or posters. If you place an order, be sure to specify the version you want.
I'd like to paint a third World Mother, inspired by Renaissance art, which I've been studying lately. Rather than a flat profile, perhaps I'll give her a contrapposto pose, so popular in 15th and 16th century Italy. Sigh . . . to find the time . . .
A good, and healthy, week to all!
D Yael Bernhard