A Lithuanian Case of Maternité: A Portrait of Zofia z Jelskich Terebeszowa with Her Daughter Katarzyna

Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis

Abstract

The broad and varied concept of human age in early secular art, particularly in portraiture, was typically interpreted rather directly through the lens of life stages. One of the most intriguing forms of portraiture that explores the theme of age is group portraits of parents and their children, which reflect family ties across generations.

The principal subject of this article is a 1798 painting by an unknown, but likely local, artist housed in the Samogitian Museum “Alka” in Telšiai. The painting depicts Zofia z Jelskich Terebeszowa (1773–1826) and her daughter Katarzyna z Terebeszow Szuksztowa (1794 or 1795–1845). This artwork, which came from the former collec- tions of the Medingėnai Manor, is a rare piece in the context of Lithuanian art history. It invites us to closely examine the specific iconographic history associated with the concept of maternité and to meticulously reconstruct the story of the mother and daughter immortalized on the canvas.

In the 1760s–1790s, the concept of a cosy and blissful family life, inspired by the sensual Rococo aesthetics and the didactic ideas of the Enlightenment, spread across France and Western Europe. This ideal became not only aspirational but also a fashionable social category. Women played a particularly important role as the primary and most important educators of children. This idea soon found expression in art, with numerous idealized representations of the so-called “happy family,” showing parents and children enjoying everyday life. One of the most prominent trends was portraits of mothers with their children, depicting romanticized motherly love, often referred to as maternité (plural maternités, French for motherhood).

This context is especially important when examining the intimate portrait of Zofia and Katarzyna. This unique Lithuanian depiction of motherhood subtly reflects the Western theme of maternité through specific elements and references (such as the attire of the subjects and the overall atmosphere), while also embracing the new philosophy of child-rearing promoted by educators. All these aspects are conveyed in a very restrained manner, without significantly challenging the relatively conservative local portrait tradition compared to foreign works.

In this impressive portrait, one can sense the passage of time through the juxtaposition of childhood and maturity. The work depicts not only a mother and daughter but also two women at different stages of life – Katarzyna, who is still enjoying her carefree childhood, and Zofia, who is already immersed in the responsibilities of an estate owner.