GREAT MOTHERS

How can one imbue a bust with the qualities of a maternal embrace—enveloping, soft, welcoming, warm, and safe—when the bust lacks arms? How can femininity be instilled in an abstract head? Hair is rich in symbolism and is a sufficiently malleable material to bear the weight of these requirements. Hair is an exclusively human attribute, and long hair is, above all, a signifier of femininity. Elaborate hairstyles reflect the trends of their times and bear traces of specific cultural origins. A wide spectrum of hair colors reveals the racial background and age of the individual. During gestation, female animals often build nests for their offspring using their own fur or feathers. The "Great Mother" busts provide a nest, a swaddling wrap, or a cozy bed for their progeny within the richness and warmth of their hair. The five heads represent fundamental maternal qualities. The *Progenitrix* primarily embodies the gift of bestowing life and preserving the lineage. Motherhood is also synonymous with unconditional love and impartial care—qualities exemplified by the Capitoline Wolf in her role as an adoptive mother. The *Virgin Mother* represents the potential for self-sacrifice for the sake of one’s child, as well as the provision of upbringing and faith in the child's future. The *Queen Mother* alludes to the British monarch but also to the ambivalent nature of motherhood—symbolized here by the crown—representing both protection and a cage. Finally, the *High Priestess* introduces the theme of the specific relationship between mothers and daughters, who often serve as replicas of their mothers.