The transformation to become a mother can be described as anything from raw and intense to beautiful and empowering. Each journey into the realm of pregnancy and childbirth is unique and powerful, as well as profoundly life-changing. There is no other experience like it. This transformation continues into the postpartum era when the raging hormones, body changes, and the challenges of finding a new life rhythm with a newborn in tow continue to shape and mold a newly emerging person as a mother. This is a person who often finds themselves unrecognizable or lost in this process.

A new version of themselves begins to develop, and as they navigate motherhood, they also learn how to discover themselves again and how to feel at peace in their bodies, emotions, and minds, as well as discover what it truly means to be a mother.

This journey of discovery, balance, and birth (both of child and of mother) is known as ‘matrescence.’ This is a largely uncommon term, but one brought to light recently by Lucy Jones through her book of the same title, released in 2024. Here, the author discusses, with raw honesty, the realities of this transformation and how at odds this reality is with much of what is seen in society.

Motherhood has existed for thousands of years as a theme of interest for artists. They explore themes such as the relationship between mother and child, fertility, nurturing children, breastfeeding, and other varying themes of motherhood in their work. It is interesting to explore such artworks through the perspective of a contemporary lens. How is matrescence represented throughout art history, and have there been any changes in how art has reflected the perception of ‘mother’ in different times and societies?

‘Woman from Willendorf’ is a small, approximately 10cm stone carving of a woman’s body. In this body, the face is obscured while the breasts and midriff are exaggerated and are the clear focus of the body. When considering the Renaissance was 700 years ago, or the Roman Empire began approximately 2 thousand years ago, it is surely impressive that this artifact is estimated to be from 30 thousand years ago.

The artifact in question appears to be the perfect size for holding in the palm of a hand, possibly used as a symbol of hope and comfort. Additionally, as people of this time would have moved around a lot as seasons changed, this relic would be easy to transport and carry with them.

It is largely considered to be a representation of fertility, yet Joanna Wolfarth suggested in her book Milk that the woman looks more like someone in her postpartum era. Heavy, swollen breasts full of milk and an expanded waistline, with the head—the site of the mind and individuality—obscured as the presence of the new baby takes over. The purpose of the woman's body now is to serve the needs of the child.

It is a strong argument that the Woman from Willendorf represents the role of the new mother. Through this argument, the presentation of the role of the mother is highlighted as one that loses their identity as their body becomes a site of nourishment, comfort, and support for the new baby.

Sculptural representations of mothers and children are also prominent throughout the African continent. Brimming with many rich cultures and traditions, a certain commonality between many depictions of mothers is their celebrated position in the community.

These sculptures highlight the important and respected role mothers play in society. Often represented cradling their babies at their elongated, milk-filled breasts, they are recognized as valuable members of society, bringing nourishment and nurturing to the most vulnerable members of the community. In one sculpture, the rare subject matter of birth exposes a mother as she physically brings life into the world. The strength of her body, embracing the pain and intensity of childbirth, allows the viewer to deeply appreciate the physical experience necessary to birth a child.

It has been commented that while these communities are positively celebrating the role of women as mothers, they put a lot of pressure on those who struggle with infertility or whose path is perhaps not destined to be fulfilled as a mother. This hierarchy in a community can displace the individual journey of the woman and create an expectation that might not always be viable.

Furthermore, these artworks, although accentuating the beauty and strength of the mother, do not address the pivotal transformation of matrescence in its entirety. They depict women from a public perspective and their celebrated, yet somewhat pressurized, role as mothers in the community. They do not harness the depth of change and personal growth or the varying experiences felt by each mother.

In European art history, the most prominent representation of motherhood is through the religious figures of Mary and baby Jesus, often referred to as Madonna and Child. These images are widespread, hugely prominent, and consistently render the mother as a soft, gentle caregiver who silently assumes her pivotal role as the mother of Christ with grace—a representation that was to set a standard of perfection in motherhood for many years as people looked to Christianity for inspiration in their lives and would be regularly exposed to such images, regardless of their class or social status.

Michelangelo Buonarroti’s painting Doni Tondo (1507) depicts the family unit of Mary with Joseph and the infant Jesus. This image holds the fine detail, theater, and grandeur expected from High Renaissance art, as Mary shifts her torso with her arms raised above her shoulder to receive the lively child. Despite the realities of parents juggling a young child, the painting exudes calm and peace as they sit connected and unified as the centerpiece of the image.

Further exploration of such depictions of Mary and Jesus as mother and child follows the same pattern. They express a level of quiet confidence and peace in what is otherwise a chaotic shift in a mother's life.

Raphael, another High Renaissance artist who also produced several examples of Madonna and Child, rendered these works with an alternative strength. Raphael was regarded by Vasari (the first biographer of artists) in his account Lives of the Artists as having been breastfed by his own mother. The fact that this was pointed out in such a way conveys that this was highly unusual. It gives an insight into the lives and expectations of mothers, at least from certain social classes. It also alludes to Raphael's images as being more aware of the maternal bond between a mother and child. They often show a powerful yet soft connection that offers a small insight into the deep maternal bonding that can happen in the early days of life as a new mother.

The presence of religious-themed paintings is important because they were incredibly widespread among all social classes for hundreds of years. Perhaps not the specific artists discussed, but the Madonna and Child imagery would have featured strongly and presented itself as a standard of motherhood that should be striven for. This, in itself, has an impact on matrescence in the sense that for many women, and indeed many viewers, this was the only example of what matrescence should look like. It is this prominence of standards that can often have crippling effects on those that can feel intimidated or afraid of what they perceive to be failings in their experiences.

Moving forward in time to the late 18th century, a Japanese example of matrescence showcases an alternative viewpoint. In Kitagawa Utamaro’s Mother and Child (ca. 1793), a mother is bent over with a breastfeeding child balancing on her lap while she attempts to fix her hair. Behind her, another woman focuses her attention on the child and waves a toy, causing the baby to reach out in that direction.

This image represents the strength and resilience of the mother in balancing and nurturing her child while still adhering to her own (or perhaps society's) standards of personal appearance. It is particularly striking that there is another woman available to assist her, but she is more interested in distracting the child. As the child is already attached to one breast and pinching the nipple of the other, surely it does not need further stimulation, which undoubtedly creates more movement and, therefore, makes the mother's experience even more difficult. The image is an excellent representation of how mothers are often repeatedly offered help in the form of taking the baby off their hands, when in many realities, that is the one element that they have under control.

The trio of figures in this image captures the liveliness and chaos present in simple moments in motherhood. It shows the mother using her body to balance and nourish her child while simultaneously focusing on her sense of self through the mirror. The third figure, the adult bending over to wave the toy at the child, represents a fascination with interacting with the baby and turning away from the possibility of attending to the mother's needs. This is too often a scenario faced by women in matrescence who struggle to find themselves heard, so instead they balance both the needs of the child and themselves solely on their own lap.

Breastfeeding continues to feature in art, most notably appearing frequently in the work of Impressionist artist Mary Cassatt in the 19th century. Her work is reflective of the inner domestic sphere of society. As a woman, she had little scope to explore the outside world freely, so her focus on the inner realms of day-to-day life often reflected on the role of the mother and their close, tender bonds with their young children. Although never having children herself, Cassatt was a keen observer and excellent at picking up on subtle signs of connection and the deeper meaning of the motherhood experience. Skin-to-skin contact, the vacant gaze of a mother awakened early by her infant, and the careful, warm embraces.

The moments captured in these works offer a small glimpse into the world of a mother bound to her domestic duties and completely in love with her child/ren. As with all Impressionist art, these moments are fleeting, candid, and honest in their representation of daily social life. As it was considered a woman's business to remain at home behind closed doors, Cassatt became the key witness to life behind these doors, and her art conveys some of the everyday moments for mothers of her time that bring an essence of their matrescence to life.

Motherhood continues to be a strong theme used by contemporary artists. One of the most striking of these is Maman (1999) by Louise Bourgeois. The word maman is French for "mother." This giant bronze, steel, and marble spider evokes strong reactions when viewers contemplate the traditional representations of mothers as soft and warm, embracing their babies. However, for Bourgeois, spiders are weavers, just as her own mother was. They are protective; they remove unwanted pests, such as flies and mosquitoes. So, for her, spiders have many qualities in common with mothers.

The towering, eight-legged sculpture can evoke a sense of fear or uncertainty, making some question how this creature can be considered maternal. A mother, often (but not limited to) those new to matrescence, with elevated hormone levels and limited sleep, can feel viciously protective of her babies, ready to tower over and strike those who try to bring harm. So, in that sense, this sculpture is incredibly accurate and holds a refreshing representation of motherhood. It channels feelings and emotions that tend not to be captured by typical, traditional art focused on gentle and peaceful caregiving.

Yet, the spider is caregiving. She protects and nourishes her young. She does so in a way that relentlessly fights off threats, much like a human mother. Bourgeois offers viewers an opportunity to see the beauty of mothers in a different light. Additionally, she allows mothers to find an alternative space to express themselves and their emotions. Matrescence does not always need to resemble the Madonna and Child. It can look terrifying or surprising, or it can be looming overhead in a tantalizing manner. And these sides are still full of strength, determination, and love.

In more recent times, the theme of matrescence and motherhood is still as strong as ever. Through the Mother photography series by Emma Hartvig (2018-2021), the viewer is exposed to women in a raw, honest state of being. Often situated in greenery or close to water, the timeless photographs bring the essence of being a mother, as being close to nature. The women are mostly nude, and their babies are positioned in gentle poses, sometimes breastfeeding, being cradled, nurtured, or otherwise using their mother's body for comfort and reassurance.

The series, which has a certain quality reminiscent of film stills, has a quiet state of peace and solace. Yet, they hold a bond in the tradition of motherhood that is deeply enriched by the natural world. A world beyond the conveniences, gimmicks, and social conventions of contemporary life. Many of the strongest instincts associated with motherhood come from within. A place that is bound with the combined growth of nature.

These images showcase the empowerment of matrescence and the strength of being. The wholesome, intimate scenes accentuate the bliss and fierce passion emblazoned in matrescence. Many of the images also highlight the solitary nature of the experience, though some group images also convey strength in solidarity by comparison. As with many elements of matrescence, there is a paradox in that some moments are intensely lonely, while others are filled with connection.

Matrescence is a deeply complex, individual, and highly sensitive experience. The artworks discussed are merely the tip of the iceberg concerning the volume of works available to explore on the topic. There are many angles to take, and not one art piece in itself is capable of capturing the many layers and possibilities of each journey. What they can do collectively, though, is offer an insight, a lifeline, a connection, or shed some understanding for viewers who take the time to consider the stories behind the frames. By exploring many of these works of art, mothers, in particular, can gain a sense of peace in the knowledge that their experiences are seen, felt, and acknowledged by others throughout the world and throughout time.

The intricacies of matrescence and motherhood are beautiful, tantalizing, and, for better or worse, life-changing. Art, as an extension of human expression, has the power to explore and project every facet of these expressions. While there may not be the perfect art piece that conveys any one experience, as a whole, they weave a tapestry of heartfelt loves, losses, bodies, pain, joy, and the deep, raw humanity of these experiences. Art offers a platform of connection and feeling through the strength of its expressive communication.

Matrescence is one such journey whose tale can be told, from one experience to the next, from thousands of years ago to a shared moment in a local new-parents group. Each story is unique, and each voice has its own power. And the art that represents these stories is a sure reflection of that power held by all those who journeyed through the experience that is matrescence.

References

Giorgio Vasari, Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects, 16th century.
J. Wolfarth, Milk: An Intimate History of Breastfeeding, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2023.
L. Jones, Matrescence: on the metamorphosis of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood, Allen Lane 2023, Penguin Books 2024.
Finkel, J. (2018, April 19). The 10 most powerful artworks on motherhood from the 20th century. Artbound. PBS SoCal.
Green, M. (2020, May 8). The art and artistry of mother and child. Smithsonian Magazine.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). Madonna and Child. The Met.
Ginsberg, H. (2020, September 1). African cultures celebrated motherhood in sculpture. Artsy.
Rosen, D. (2014). Motherhood (Chapter 3.3). In The Bright Continent: The Future of Africa (pp. 87-102). Cleveland State University.