Artwork Page for Mother and Child

Details / Information for Mother and Child

Mother and Child

1898

Kate Greenaway

(British, 1846–1901)
Culture
England, 19th century
Medium
graphite and watercolor on paper
Measurements
Sheet: 15.3 x 10.1 cm (6 x 4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Leona E. Prasse 1955.454
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

This tender moment between a mother and her child is characteristic of Kate Greenaway’s idealized images of childhood. Working in the late 1800s, Greenaway depicted clothing vaguely inspired by the fashion of the early 1800s, suggesting that the image was from a moment in an idealized past when things were simpler and happier. Greenaway was one of the most successful female illustrators of her time. Her illustrations were used not only in children’s books but also in a variety of consumer products, including calendars, address books, plates, and textiles, and even influenced children’s fashion.
A vertically oriented graphite and watercolor drawing on tan paper depicts a woman and child with light skin tones. Seated on a wooden chair facing right, the woman wears a long pale gown, her blonde hair in a bun. A child stands on her lap, wearing a white dress with a blue sash and bonnet, reaching back toward the woman's forehead. Delicate pencil lines and muted washes define the figures, set against light floor shadows.

Mother and Child

1898

Kate Greenaway

(British, 1846–1901)
England, 19th century

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