Artwork
Child with Rocking Horse
Child with Rocking Horse is an oil painting. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This oil on canvas portrays a young child in a yellow dress, standing beside a wooden rocking horse.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting on canvas, created in 1850 by an American artist of the 19th century.
The work is an oil painting on canvas, created in 1850 by an American artist of the 19th century. It measures 103.2 cm in height by 68.6 cm in width and depicts a child with a rocking horse. The painting was originally held in a house on the outskirts of Boston before being sold in 1954 by Mary Allis of Southport, Connecticut, to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who later gifted it to the National Gallery of Art in 1959.
History & Provenance
Child with Rocking Horse is an 1850 oil on canvas portrait attributed to an American 19th‑century artist. It entered the collection of Mary Allis of Southport, Connecticut, who sold the work in 1954 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch; the couple subsequently gifted it to the National Gallery of Art in 1959.
The painting was accessioned by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains on view.
The painting Child with Rocking Horse is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its provenance traces to a house on the outskirts of Boston before passing to Mary Allis of Southport, Connecticut. She sold the work in 1954 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who subsequently gifted it to the National Gallery of Art in 1959.
Context
Child with Rocking Horse is an 1850 oil on canvas portrait held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its provenance traces to a house on the outskirts of Boston, from which it was sold in 1954 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch before being gifted to the NGA in 1959. The work is cataloged in the NGA’s collection and studied within the broader scope of 19th-century American portraiture.
Overview
This oil on canvas portrays a young child in a yellow dress, standing beside a wooden rocking horse. The figure’s blonde hair and blue eyes are rendered with soft brushwork, while the child’s attire features black floral motifs. A window behind the scene is draped with a red curtain, revealing a glimpse of trees beyond.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a quiet domestic moment, emphasizing childhood innocence and play. The juxtaposition of the bright dress against the muted background draws attention to the child's presence, while the open window suggests an outward gaze, hinting at the transition between interior safety and the larger world.
Artist & collection
