Which Madonna and Child painting does this still from the Gillette ad look like?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Edmundus1581
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
E

Edmundus1581

Guest
Over the last day the internet has blown up with a new Gillette advertising campaign.

The themes have generated a huge backlash, but PLEASE DON’T START THAT DISCUSSION HERE! It deserves a separate discussion, as this quite a narrow topic here.

I just have a question.

This is a very significant still from the ad. It is a moment of calm in the midst of frenzy. (at 14 seconds)

My contention is that this is a conscious appropriation of the religious imagery of the Madonna and child, especially coming soon after Christmas. There is a cross in the left background, and the lighting clearly suggests numerous religious paintings.

I can think of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor (below), but there may be others, particularly with the lighting.

Any suggestions?

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
Last edited:
What cross on the left…?

All i see is a lamp

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
I think it is so tightly constructed that the suggestion of a cross is deliberate.

It is barely less perceptable than the lance and cross in the icon above.

Open to debate.
 
Last edited:
The lighting reminded me of Da Vinci’s Madonna of the Rocks, but there is probably something closer.

a05ce7671d93a20558dfb700384e0e88d8d130c1.jpeg
 
I think you’re…as us kids would say, reaching.

It doesn’t seem deliberate.

Any mother hugging her son would resemble Mary, imo.

The lighting was also quite dull throughout that mess of an ad. Nothing in this scene really stands out for me.

From what I’ve noticed, I found that our more mainstream media tend to use symbolism or metaphors in a very obvious manner, and I don’t see that here.
 
Lea101 said:
I think you’re…as us kids would say, reaching.

It doesn’t seem deliberate.

Any mother hugging her son would resemble Mary, imo.

The lighting was also quite dull throughout that mess of an ad. Nothing in this scene really stands out for me.

From what I’ve noticed, I found that our more mainstream media tend to use symbolism or metaphors in a very obvious manner, and I don’t see that here.
Click to expand...
The lighting is what was most telling to me. Whether or not it is deliberatly “Christian” the beam of light behind mum suggests supernatural themes.

“A woman clothed in the sun”?
 
Last edited:
Edmundus1581 said:
40.png
Lea101:
I think you’re…as us kids would say, reaching.

It doesn’t seem deliberate.

Any mother hugging her son would resemble Mary, imo.

The lighting was also quite dull throughout that mess of an ad. Nothing in this scene really stands out for me.

From what I’ve noticed, I found that our more mainstream media tend to use symbolism or metaphors in a very obvious manner, and I don’t see that here.
Click to expand...
The lighting is what was most telling to me. Whether or not it is deliberatly “Christian” the beam of light behind mum suggests supernatural themes.

“A woman clothed in the sun”?
Click to expand...
Or just lighting a scene. This is a huge reach.
 
Maybe I’m thinking too little of the people who made this.

I genuinely can’t see any significance in the scene. Mostly because even if there is, it would be so out of place. There’s nothing really christ like…or Mary-like about anything in the ad, so any imagery of that would be random in my opinion.

People in general looooove Christian imagery. But when they use it, I think it’s quite obvious. Think of Man of Steel when Henry Cavill’s superman meets the priest, or when he falls out of the spaceship in the shape of the cross.

Maybe some intern decided to insert a bit of imagery here because they think it’s artistic. Maybe. But I highly doubt it. To me, it’s just a woman comforting her son.
 
Lea101 said:
Maybe I’m thinking too little of the people who made this.

I genuinely can’t see any significance in the scene. Mostly because even if there is, it would be so out of place. There’s nothing really christ like…or Mary-like about anything in the ad, so any imagery of that would be random in my opinion.

People in general looooove Christian imagery. But when they use it, I think it’s quite obvious. Think of Man of Steel when Henry Cavill’s superman meets the priest, or when he falls out of the spaceship in the shape of the cross.

Maybe some intern decided to insert a bit of imagery here because they think it’s artistic. Maybe. But I highly doubt it. To me, it’s just a woman comforting her son.
Click to expand...
My reason for reading so much into this scene is that I suspect it is the whole point of the ad. It comes at 14 seconds and provides a moment of calm in between noise (a “mess” as you say). The rest is deliberately provocative and confusing, but here is a clear message of “Trust Mommy” as the one constant in life.

So, I think nothing in this scene is by accident.
 
WannabeMonk said:
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Click to expand...
Thanks!

I guess it’s really about Gillette wanting men to be the best they can be, and to call out other men!

🤣🤣🤣

Tin foil hat removed!
 
Last edited:
I think you’re generally quite upset with the way how men and fathers are treated in your community, and hence you’re looking at this with that sort of bias.

I don’t even like the ad (but I won’t go into that per your request) but I don’t really see that sort of message. If anything, it is just a sad attempt to show an upset woman to appeal to emotions. Kind of like “look at how you’re hurting women and children”. Which is the common theme of this ad anyway. For example, the woman at the meeting. Her sad face was also focused there.
 
Lea101 said:
I think you’re generally quite upset with the way how men and fathers are treated in your community, and hence you’re looking at this with that sort of bias.

I don’t even like the ad (but I won’t go into that per your request) but I don’t really see that sort of message. If anything, it is just a sad attempt to show an upset woman to appeal to emotions. Kind of like “look at how you’re hurting women and children”. Which is the common theme of this ad anyway. For example, the woman at the meeting. Her sad face was also focused there.
Click to expand...
Good point!

It’s starting to veer off, and I’ve contributed, so let’s stop it there.

We’ve made our points about whether I am “reaching”.

From now on, only suggestions about the “iconography” please. I’ve put “iconography” in quotes, conceding that others see none.
 
Last edited:
Oh, yes. The genre of the pitch-black commercial has been positively booming recently.
 
Maximilian75 said:
Oh, yes. The genre of the pitch-black commercial has been positively booming recently.
Click to expand...
The bright light behind mum, in the way artists use light to draw attention to their main subject.
 
Last edited:
Definitely not seeing any Marian imagery here. The mother’s facial expression is one of terror. Generally, Mary is shown as sorrowful (Mater Dolorosa) or calm and serene (Our Lady of Perpetual Help).

In this ad, it’s just a mother trying to protect/guard her son from all of the toxic masculinity the ad maker thinks permeates society.

The message of the ad is blantant to the point that they are beating us over the head with it. They aren’t going for subtle.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top