BABY

Madonna & Child: Idealised Representations of Mother and Baby

In 2009 the article Madonna & Child: Idealised Representations of Mother and Baby was published in Archive no.14 in collaboration with Hedy van Erp. The essay accompanied the exhibition BABY: Picturing the Ideal Human, 1840s-Now (2009) in the National Media Museum Bradford, England.

Research on the representation of the baby in photographic history revealed that photographers and parents aim to portray the baby in a desirable, idealised pose. These portraits are not always made intentionally. Changing conventions in portrait photography and beauty ideals have influenced both parents and image makers.

The article Madonna & Child: Idealised Representations of Mother and Baby focuses on iconic Christian representations of Mary and the baby Jesus which strongly shaped photographic depictions of mother and child portraits.