The Silence
1550
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1550
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
The Silence is a 1550 by Philip Soye, depicting breastfeeding, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows a quiet scene of a woman sitting with a baby at her breast, while an older man rests nearby. A small child stands behind her, holding a staff. The figures are draped in flowing robes, and the background looks like a stone floor with a draped cloth above. The title *The Silence* hints this isn’t just a family—it’s a symbolic scene. The woman’s calm focus on the baby suggests a deeper meaning beyond the everyday. Look up breastfeeding in religious art to see how this common theme carried hidden messages.
