Grace Hartigan
American, 1922-2008
Saint Madonna, 1984
Watercolor
_{© 1984 Grace Hartigan. Courtesy of the Artist's Estate.}

Mary and the infant Christ emerge from a vibrant orange glow. They appear inseparable as their heads touch, and Jesus gazes intently at his mother. Mary’s intentionally large hand, cradling the infant, emphasizes the responsibility she bears in raising the Son of God. While this watercolor is a stunning example of modern art, Hartigan clearly references Madonna and Child imagery prevalent in Byzantine and Orthodox icons. The bright orange ink wash enveloping Mary is undoubtably inspired by the radiant gold backgrounds of these devotional paintings. Hartigan, one of the few women to make a name as a painter in post-war America, was primarily an abstract painter. Forging her own way, Hartigan preferred to work unbounded by limitations of genre or movement.