Where can I see Street Singer and Child?

Street Singer and Child is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Street Singer and Child?

Street Singer and Child is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Street Singer and Child?

Museum-quality prints of Street Singer and Child are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Street Singer and Child

John Opie , 1792

Street Singer and Child is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist John Opie. It dates from 1792 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a street musician accompanied by a child, symbolizing the presence of poverty and informal livelihoods in 18th-century society.

The painting depicts a street musician accompanied by a child, symbolizing the presence of poverty and informal livelihoods in 18th-century society. The interaction between the performer and the child emphasizes themes of resilience and the transmission of cultural practices across generations. Created in England in 1784, the work is an oil painting on canvas measuring 76.5 cm in height and 64.3 cm in width.

John Opie, a British artist known for his portraits and genre scenes, captured everyday moments with emotional depth, often highlighting social realities of his time. This piece reflects his interest in portraying the lives of ordinary people, particularly those on the margins of society.

The painting is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, acquired through a bequest from Mrs. John L. McKeown in 1916, and is cataloged under the accession number 1916.1030.

Technique & Style

Street Singer and Child is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for British portraiture of the late eighteenth century. The unframed canvas measures 76.5 cm in height by 64.3 cm in width, yielding a vertically oriented format suited to a half-length figure composition. The work was produced in England in 1784, during the early phase of John Opie's career, and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

History & Provenance

Street Singer and Child was painted by John Opie in 1784, as indicated by the artist's date on the work and confirmed by the Cleveland Museum of Art’s records.

The painting entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art as accession number 1916.1030, where it remains held. Provenance prior to the museum’s acquisition is not specified in available sources.

The painting Street Singer and Child by John Opie is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland. It is cataloged under the accession number 1916.1030. The work was created in 1784 and is executed in oil paint on canvas.

Overview

John Opie’s Street Singer and Child (1792) is an oil painting in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Executed in the late eighteenth century, the work presents a modest domestic scene rendered with the soft, decorative qualities associated with the Rococo aesthetic.

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Artist & collection

Artist

John Opie

John Opie (16 May 1761 – 9 April 1807) was a British painter whose subjects included many prominent men and women of his day, members of the British royal family and others who were notable in the artistic and literary careers.