The mothers of nations - images, myths, rituals.
The process of nation-building evolved not only on the socio-political, but also on the aesthetic level. The essay examines the national personifications and allegories in Germany, Poland and Russia of the 19th and 20th centuries. The comparison of paintings and sculptures showing the mechanisms of national imaginations and constructions against the background of cultural history and depending on various media, such as language, images, rituals. Myths, religion and folklore serve as a starting point.
The focus lies on the female, maternal principle thus evoking common ancestry and a sense of solidarity. The dualism of identity-alterity acts like an initial spark in these processes.