Three Groups of Figures (Parents and Children?)

John Flaxman

1790

graphite

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century visitation

About this work

This painting shows three groups of figures, possibly parents and children. The scene is simple, with people standing together. It's interesting that the artist used graphite to create this work, which was a common medium during the Romantic period. The lack of color makes the scene feel calm and quiet. You can learn more about this style by looking into the technique of chiaroscuro.