Death and the Young Mother
1861
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1861
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This black-and-white print shows a dark forest scene with three figures. A woman in simple clothes stands in the center, holding a child. Behind her, a skeletal figure with a cloak and staff leans on a tree, looking down. The background is thick with tangled branches and eerie shapes, like faces in the trees. The woman’s calm face contrasts with the shadowy figure’s bony hands. The print’s title hints this is about life and death, but the artist didn’t use color—just deep blacks and whites to create mood. Next, look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and dark for drama.
