Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, is well known for continuously praying for her wayward son. Even though the young Augustine lived a sinful life, he eventually accepted the grace of God and became a Catholic bishop in Hippo. In this image, Saint Monica is tenderly embracing a young boy and holding her left hand open towards the viewer. The boy is wearing tattered clothes. He could represent Saint Augustine, or he could represent Augustine's son Adeodatus. Either way, the image seeks to evoke a feeling of warmth and caring, which emanates from Saint Monica toward the viewer. The most prominent color in the image is Monica's green cloak. The color green often symbolizes hope, peace, and gentleness: a fitting color for Saint Monica.
Alexandre Cabanel was a French painter. He painted historical, classical, and religious subjects in the academic style. He was also well-known as a portrait painter. According to Diccionario Enciclopedico Salvat, Cabanel is the best representative of the L'art pompier and Napoleon III's preferred painter.
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