Maternal instincts | 'One Mother, Many Mother Tongues' exhibition @ Humayun's Tomb Museum
The timeless trope of mother and child is the unifying theme of a new exhibition at the Humayun's Tomb Museum
Opening on June 22 at the Humayun’s Tomb Museum in New Delhi, One Mother, Many Mother Tongues examines one of humanity’s most universal visual motifs: the mother and child. Organised by the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre in collaboration with the Humayun’s Tomb Museum, the exhibition traces remarkable parallels in maternal imagery across cultures, religions and historical periods.
Opening on June 22 at the Humayun’s Tomb Museum in New Delhi, One Mother, Many Mother Tongues examines one of humanity’s most universal visual motifs: the mother and child. Organised by the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre in collaboration with the Humayun’s Tomb Museum, the exhibition traces remarkable parallels in maternal imagery across cultures, religions and historical periods.
Bringing together works and ideas spanning ancient Rome, the Buddhist world and the Italian Renaissance, the exhibition highlights how the image of a mother holding a child has persisted as a powerful symbol of protection, continuity and care. Visitors encounter the ancient Roman goddess Mater Matuta, associated with birth and renewal, alongside representations of Hariti, the Buddhist guardian figure whose transformation from child-stealing demon to protector of children became a potent symbol of redemption. The exhibition culminates with ‘Madonna and Child’ by Sandro Botticelli. In this Renaissance masterpiece, the familiar motif acquires a more intimate and psychological dimension, while retaining its sacred significance.
—On view from June 22-July 31 at Humayun’s Tomb Museum, Delhi. Entry free
