Ellen Handler Spitz, Honors College and Visual Arts, explains the power of the arts in child
well-being and parenting as an invited author of the “Handbook of Child Well-Being” chapter entitled “Images of Child Well-Being in the Arts.”
Dr. Spitz invites readers to consider ways in which the depiction of children in the arts can teach us about childhood by showing us how children have been regarded (and treated) over time. One example featured in her chapter is the depiction of the Holy Child in Christian art, a presentation that over time became gradually more attuned to the physiognomy and observed behavior of real babies. Historical studies in the arts can expand our horizons and serve as a corrective for imagining that any era has the final say on any aspect of this complex topic.
“The arts are rarely considered primary sources of knowledge about childhood; yet, they should be, for the arts offer multi-layered insights of enduring value,” says Dr. Spitz.
Detailed information, as well as a preview sample of the chapter, can be found here:
http://link.springer.com/referencework/10.1007/978-90-481-9063-8/page/1
