The final thesis focuses on the motif of motherhood, present in paintings by women Surrealists. Although there were more women in the Surrealism movement than in any other movement up to that time, their work remained in the shadows of male Surrealists. For the most part, the women Surrealists were not part of the male discussion of femininity and thus often turned to their own realities. Although most did not show a desire for children and family life, they nevertheless saw themselves more in the role of the Great Mother than in the femme-enfant role attributed to them by the Surrealists. The role of women in Surrealism and their beliefs about motherhood are reflected in the paintings of the aforementioned artists: The Guardian of the Phoenix by Leonor Fini, The Guardian of Egg by Leonora Carrington, Celestial Pablum by Remedios Varo, and Maternity by Dorothea Tanning. The interpretations of the paintings, is drawn on the literature that each artist had read, their literary works, and biographical data. None of the selected paintings depicted a classic loving mother, because they each adapted the motif according to their own perceptions of motherhood and what the role of a mother meant to them.
|
