Who painted Woman Reading to Two Children?

Woman Reading to Two Children was painted by Francisco de Goya in 1824.

Where can I see Woman Reading to Two Children?

Woman Reading to Two Children is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Woman Reading to Two Children?

Woman Reading to Two Children is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Woman Reading to Two Children

Francisco de Goya , 1824

Woman Reading to Two Children is a print by the Romanticist artist Francisco de Goya. It dates from 1824 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1998.171
Credit line: John L. Severance Fund

About this work

He worked with a lithographer there, using crayon on stone and scratching out fine details.

This print shows a woman in a dark dress reading aloud to two children. The light hits her face and hands, making them stand out sharp against the dark room. You can see the paper in her hands and the kids leaning in close to listen.

Goya made this in France after he left Spain. He worked with a lithographer there, using crayon on stone and scratching out fine details. The scratches add texture and light to the woman’s arm and mantilla.

Try looking up Francisco de Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828) next.

Overview

Woman Reading to Two Children is a lithograph by Francisco de Goya, created during his time in Bordeaux, France.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a serene domestic scene: a woman reads aloud to two attentive children in a dimly lit room. The contrast between the woman's illuminated face and hands and the surrounding darkness emphasizes the intimacy of the moment.

Technique & Style

Goya achieved the image's texture and tonal range by applying crayon to stone and then scraping away areas to create highlights, a technique observed by an onlooker and evident in the fine details on the woman's arm and mantilla.

History & Provenance

Goya produced the lithograph in collaboration with Gaulon, an expert lithographer, after fleeing Spain in 1824. Only seven impressions are known, all now held in museum collections.

Context

Goya's time in Bordeaux included being joined by his companion Leocadia Weiss and her children, potentially influencing the domestic subject matter.