An Egyptian Fellahah with Her Child

About this work

This painting depicts a woman in a blue robe, with a white head covering and a green veil over her face. She is barefoot and carries a clay jug in her right hand. A young child, dressed in a white tunic, sits on her shoulders, holding onto her head covering. The woman stands in front of a stone wall, with an arched opening to her left. The woman's attire and the stone wall suggest a Middle Eastern or North African setting. The child's presence adds a sense of warmth and intimacy to the scene. To learn more about the artist's use of chiaroscuro, explore Émile Prisse d'Avennes' work.