Artwork
The Artist's Wife Sewing
The Artist's Wife Sewing is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Georg Friedrich Schmidt. It dates from 1753 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:upper left in image: Schmidt fec. / ad vivum / 1753
About this work
Overview
The Artist's Wife Sewing is a 1753 etching with engraving on laid paper by Georg Friedrich Schmidt, a German artist associated with the Rococo style. The work captures a serene domestic moment.
Subject & Meaning
The print portrays Schmidt's wife in a quiet, intimate setting, absorbed in sewing. Her neat attire and focused demeanor reflect the Rococo emphasis on everyday elegance.
Technique & Style
Schmidt employed etching and engraving techniques to achieve detailed, sharp lines, particularly in the subject's face and clothing. The background, in contrast, features a subtle textured pattern, characteristic of Rococo's balance between intricacy and restraint.
History & Provenance
Created in 1753, the piece is representative of Schmidt's active career (1712-1775). While specific ownership histories are not detailed here, the work's medium suggests it was designed for reproduction and dissemination.
Context
As a Rococo piece, The Artist's Wife Sewing embodies the movement's fondness for domestic scenes and ornate yet delicate aesthetics, prevalent in 18th-century Europe.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Georg Friedrich Schmidt (24 January 1712 - 25 January 1775) was a German engraver, etcher and pastel painter, in the Rococo style.
La tricoteuse endormie
Le Bon Exemple
The Woman with the Pear
Young Woman on the Terrace (La jeune femme a la terrasse)
Young Woman Sewing with a Dog Resting on Her Lap
The Convalescent (La convalescente)
Saskia with Pearls in Her Hair
Female Costume Study
Young Girl Reading
Three Heads of Women, One Lightly Etched