Madonna figure in art

Madonna figure is the mother of Christ. In unsubstantiated Wikipedia her image with Christ was saved by Mohammed the prophet and such she co-exists in Islam as a motherly figure. ​

In art she represents the mother figure and all things of virtue. However in today's society women in a hijab are told they should not look too modest by western culture despite westerners being predominantly catholic or Christian in faith, where Mary is modest. We are told to bare face, bare all but what if us women don't want to? Does that mean we are oppressed or a prude? If it's by women's choice then we should appear how we want to be and if that is governed by faith that should also be acceptable.


The choice to use the madonna figure in my current art series is because she could be any modest woman of any faith. The madonna to me is the mother to the children (who may already have dead parents) and is like a guardian angel to a realm unknown should you wish to believe there is an after life. I am not portraying my faith and leave it solely up to the viewer because that woman in a hijab can represent many a thing. To me she reminds me of the Mary statues that apparently have blood tears running down their face. I am of the opinion she represent s a strong woman like Joan of arc is to the western society. However I am not governed by religion or faith but governed by that of my western cultural upbringing

Unfinished "Madonna", water colour on canvas