Artwork
Portrait of a Child
Portrait of a Child is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Edward Hicks. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:on reverse at top edge in fancy script: HAW
About this work
Technique & Style
The use of a panel rather than canvas is consistent with the small-format, folk-influenced portrait practice of Edward Hicks, who produced the work in 1840.
Portrait of a Child is an oil painting executed on a wooden panel support, a modest-scale work measuring 44.2 cm in height by 36.8 cm in width. The use of a panel rather than canvas is consistent with the small-format, folk-influenced portrait practice of Edward Hicks, who produced the work in 1840. The oil medium and panel support together yield a smooth, compact surface suited to the intimate scale of a child's likeness. The painting is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
No further details regarding specific pigments, surface condition, or stylistic handling are documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of a Child was painted by Edward Hicks in 1840 in oil on wood panel. Its earliest known owners were the Burton family, who lived near Bristol, Pennsylvania. The painting subsequently passed through several New York dealers: it was acquired by Robert Carlen of Philadelphia, then sold to Edith Gregor Halpert of the Downtown Gallery, New York.
In 1944 the work changed hands twice, first to M. Knoedler & Co. and then to Joseph Katz, before returning to Knoedler in 1945. In 1947 it was purchased by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch of Maryland, and upon their deaths it entered the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., as a bequest in 1980.
Portrait of a Child is held in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. The painting entered the museum’s collection as a bequest from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch in 1980. Prior to that, it passed through several private hands, including the Burton family near Bristol, Pennsylvania, Robert Carlen of Philadelphia, Edith Gregor Halpert’s Downtown Gallery, M. Knoedler and Co., and Joseph Katz, all in New York, before returning to Knoedler and finally to the Garbisch couple.
Overview
Edward Hicks created this oil portrait, titled Portrait of a Child, around 1840. Rendered on wood, the painting presents a young child dressed in a distinctive red garment and bonnet. The figure is positioned against a backdrop of trees and a cloudy sky, with their arms gently crossed. The work captures a formal yet intimate depiction of its youthful subject.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a young child, prominently featured in a vibrant red dress adorned with white lace trim and a matching bonnet tied with a green ribbon. The meticulous detail in their clothing, combined with the composed posture of crossed arms, suggests a formal sitting. The natural setting of trees and an expansive sky provides a serene context for the child's elaborate attire, highlighting their individual presence.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Edward Hicks spent his life caught between two worlds. A Quaker preacher by Sunday and a painter by weekdays, he painted signs and carriages to support his family while quietly building a body of peaceful, crowded…
