Artwork
The Artist's Daughter
The Artist's Daughter is an oil painting by the Realist artist Augustin Théodule Ribot. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Augustin Théodule Ribot’s 1862 oil painting, The Artist’s Daughter, presents a half‑length portrait of a young girl rendered in a restrained, realist manner. The work is part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection, where it is displayed among other 19th‑century French paintings.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, a child identified as the artist’s daughter, is depicted from the chest upward, gazing directly at the viewer with a composed, neutral expression. Her dark hair is neatly pulled back and she wears a modest, high‑necked dark dress, emphasizing modesty and the intimate domestic sphere typical of genre portraiture.
Technique & Style
Ribot employs oil paint to achieve a subtle modeling of form through pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing the dark background to recede while the figure emerges with a soft, three‑dimensional presence. The palette is limited, focusing on muted tones that reinforce the realist aim of depicting everyday subjects without embellishment.
History & Provenance
Although largely self‑taught, Ribot briefly studied under Auguste‑Barthélémy Glaize before establishing himself as an artisan‑artist. The Artist’s Daughter reflects his early realist phase and was later acquired by the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains in the museum’s permanent holdings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Théodule-Augustin Ribot (French:; August 8, 1823 – September 11, 1891) was a French realist painter and printmaker.
