Reflection by Joe Galea, SDC Member
Le Bénédicité (Saying Grace) is a highly regarded painting by Jean Siméon Chardin. It depicts a serene, modest household scene where a mother invites her two children to say grace before their meal. The setting, marked by its simplicity and cleanliness, exudes a spiritual atmosphere. The white tablecloth signifies the purity of the home. Chardin captures the profound spirituality in everyday life, emphasizing cleanliness, order, and silence as elements of sacredness. The painting, produced in 1740 and housed in the Louvre Museum in France, continues to convey its message today through the heartfelt prayers of the children under their mother’s affectionate gaze.
