"Have you been to confession? There were plenty going after Mass this morning. No one would have noticed you if you sat next to the lady with the restless child."
I replied with:
"Is The Lady With The Restless Child another of those paintings or statues of The Virgin Mary?
Later on I wondered if there ever had been something like that and, blow me down found this:
The painting is 'La Vierge au lys', also known as 'The Madonna of the Lilies' - an 1899 oil painting by the French artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
Its main claim to fame is this according to Google search:
"The classic spoof painting commonly referred to as "Our Lady of the Restless Child" is actually a real, unedited 1899 oil painting titled La Vierge au lys (The Virgin of the Lilies) by the French academic artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
While intended as a serious, beautiful piece of religious art, the painting went viral on social media as a meme because of the baby's funny, hyperactive expression and aggressive stance.
Why the Painting Became a Meme
The "Restless" Energy: While Mary looks completely serene and at peace, the infant Jesus is squirming out of her arms with his arms flung wide and a wild look in his eyes.
The Relatable Parenting Humor: Parents widely share the painting to jokingly describe the struggle of trying to hold a hyperactive, wriggling toddler who is determined to escape.
The Contrast: The ultimate humor comes from the dramatic contrast between traditional, solemn religious imagery and the universal chaos of everyday parenting"
I always knew that Robert's posts and comments were strange but now it seems that they are stranger than fiction.
2 comments:
An interesting painting.
I wonder what RBB will think of this.
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