1793
oil
canvas
From the collection of Brooklyn Museum
Mrs. David Forman and Child is a 1793 oil by Charles Willson Peale, a Rococo painting work, held at Brooklyn Museum.
In this 18th-century portrait, a woman sits in a chair, holding a small child on her lap. The woman wears a blue dress with a white shawl, while the child is dressed in a white tunic. The woman gently holds a sprig of red berries in her right hand, and the child reaches out to touch it. The background of the painting features a dark wall with a landscape painting hanging on it, as well as a table with red objects on it. The woman's hair is styled in an updo, and she has a serious expression on her face. The child looks up at the woman with a curious expression. The overall atmosphere of the painting is one of quiet intimacy and tenderness. To learn more about the artistic techniques used in this painting, look up the technique of chiaroscuro.
Charles Willson Peale (April 15, 1741 – February 22, 1827) was an American painter, military officer, scientist, and naturalist.
See the richer artist page
