Myall Budden #4/14

“And then with a low cry she took him in her arms and crushed him to her almost suffocatingly.”

The above quote is describing a mother’s love for her child. The bond that exists between a child and mother is indescribably deep. A mother’s instinct is to protect, feed, and love her child indefinitely. When in danger, a mother will go to any length to protect her child from danger.Because this quote demonstrates a pure love that seems to be almost extinct in today’s world, I was immediately drawn to it. The image I chose replicates that love quite well. As you can see, the dominant figure in the painting may very well be the mother. By raising her wing, she is implementing a protective measure to protect her young. The figure above the mother’s wing may be a distant predator, yet the mother is instinctively protecting her young. The essence of this image and the above quote share the similar trait that they are both derived from a deep instinctive love. In the quote you can sense the mother’s fear for her child’s safety and her almost paranoid state because of her fear for her child. In the painting, the peacock does not seem as scared, but through her defiant stance of protection, you can see the everlasting love she holds for her child.

David Eddings, Pawn of Prophecy (New York: Ballantine Books, 1982), page 45

http://library.artstor.org/library/iv2.html?parent=true