Who painted Women and Children at a Fountain?

Women and Children at a Fountain was painted by Pirro Ligorio in 1548.

Where can I see Women and Children at a Fountain?

Women and Children at a Fountain is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Women and Children at a Fountain?

Women and Children at a Fountain is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Women and Children at a Fountain?

Museum-quality prints of Women and Children at a Fountain are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Women and Children at a Fountain

Pirro Ligorio , 1548

Women and Children at a Fountain is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Pirro Ligorio. It dates from 1548 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower center in brown ink: PIRRO. LIGORIO. PITT. E ARCH. NAPOL; by later hand, on verson in graphite: 483 (crossed out); 114; 192; 470; 5

About this work

Overview

Pirro Ligorio’s drawing, dated 1548, depicts a modest gathering of women and children beside a shallow fountain. Executed in pen and brown ink with a brown wash on laid paper, the composition is mounted on an older album leaf. The work functions as a study, capturing a moment of everyday activity in a simple architectural setting.

Subject & Meaning

Four figures occupy the scene: a central woman in flowing robes guiding a child’s hand, a kneeling child drinking from the basin, a second woman leaning forward in a long dress, and a small boy holding a tray. The arrangement suggests a communal pause for water, emphasizing domestic routine and the social role of fountains as gathering points.

Technique & Style

Ligorio employs fine pen lines combined with cross‑hatching to model forms and suggest volume, while a light brown wash unifies the surface and conveys a muted atmosphere. The laid paper’s texture contributes to the sketch‑like quality, and the restrained architectural backdrop, steps and a ledge, provides spatial context without detracting from the figures.

History & Provenance

The drawing is mounted on an older album sheet, indicating it was later incorporated into a collection of sketches or studies. Created during Ligorio’s mature period, the work reflects his interest in integrating architectural elements with genre scenes, a practice that informed his later architectural treatises and designs.