The Art of Childhood mothers and children
“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of
Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from
you, And though they are with you
yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not
your thoughts, For they have their
own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not
their souls, For their souls dwell
in the house of tomorrow, which
you cannot visit, not even in your
dreams. You may strive to be like
them, but seek not to make them
like you…”
—The poet, painter, and philosopher Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) on ‘children.’
‘Standing Figure and Child,’ by Khalil Gibran. Undated. Pencil and watercolor on paper, 27.94 X 17.78 cm. Image courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
it means different things to different people. Happy, sad, beautiful, fun, difficult and ambivalent moments are all part of that experience. Here we pay homage to the deeply emotional element of motherhood that is strongly tied to our memories of childhood. Enjoy this very special collection from Barjeel Art Foundation.
‘Madonna and Child,’ by Paul Guiragossian. 1957. Oil on canvas, 71 x 59 cm. Image courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
‘Madonna of the Oranges,’ by Ismail Shammout. 1997. Oil on canvas, 100 x 80 cm. Image courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
‘La Famille,’ by Hatim Elmekki. 1950’s. Oil on canvas, 55 x 46 cm. Image courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
‘Mother and Child,’ by Seif Wanly. 1957. Oil on board, 72 x 75.2 cm. Image courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
La Lampe,’ by Paul Guiragossian. 1979. Oil on canvas, 101 x 72 cm, 1979. Image courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
‘Mom and Child,’ by Faraj Abbo Al-Numan. 1961. 60 x 49 cm, Image courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
‘Sanawat,’ by Maitha Demithan. Scanography on paper, 178 x 143 cm, 2010. Image courtesy of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
