The Manger (Ideal Motherhood)
1899
Gertrude Käsebier is known for their themes of maternity and motherhood reflected in their portraits. She picked up photography when she began her career as a mother and continued ever since. The title and the picture in itself has a religious context and is described as an “archetypal Madonna of religious painting”. However, I feel that the lighting, shadows, setting, etc. highlights the simplicity and humbleness of a mother. Despite, the background seemingly dark with a small window on the left corner “trapping” our subject(s), mainly the mother figure in this picture, the soft white silhouette stands out as the main centerpiece of the portrait as a portrait should be. “Ideal motherhood” then in a sense, does not require a perfect background, but is simply just being, just existing with the small breathing, living creature in your arms. The photo tricks your eyes as if it was a painting, but in a photo, fantasies seemingly is real, and ethereal, like this woman’s longing gaze at the child that shares her life.