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Mother and Child

Unknown

1755

oil

canvas

From the collection of Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Rococo painting 18th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Mother and Child is a 1755 oil by Unknown, a Rococo painting work, held at Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1755 · Rococo painting
Where can I see it?: Museum of Fine Arts Boston

About this work

This painting depicts a woman and a young child in an outdoor setting. The woman, dressed in a blue satin dress with lace trim, sits with her arm around the child, who wears a pink dress. The background features a landscape with trees and a body of water. The woman's dress is intricately detailed, with a large bow at the neckline and a lace-trimmed sleeve. The child's dress is simpler, but still ornate, with a small bow at the neckline. The background is more subdued, with muted colors and soft brushstrokes. The painting is a beautiful example of 18th-century portraiture, with its intricate details and soft colors. To learn more about the artist's use of chiaroscuro, a technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume in modeling three-dimensional objects and figures, look up chiaroscuro.