For four millennia, motherhood has been at the heart of narratives, rituals, and images that shape societies.

Galerie Jousse Entreprise is pleased to announce the participation of Nathanaëlle Herbelin in the exhibition “Bonnes Mères,” which highlights Mediterranean motherhood as a socially constructed concept, a political issue, and an artistic subject. The exhibition unfolds as an immersive and diachronic journey tracing its history from Antiquity to the present day, in a constant dialogue between eras and artworks. From ancient mother goddesses to the “Bonne Mère” of Marseille, from patriotic mothers to contemporary women artists, it questions representations of motherhood—often laden with expectations—and reveals the plurality of maternal experiences.

The scenography is immersive and radiant, guiding visitors along a sensitive pathway structured in three sections. “Bonnes Mères” opens with the imaginaries associated with traditional maternal figures, often idealized and fantasized. It then turns to their complex and singular realities, at times invisible, bringing to light intimate experiences frequently left unspoken—such as perinatal grief or pregnancy termination.

The exhibition concludes with a focus on transmission and mother–child bonds, decoding their codes and forms of mimicry.