Artwork
The Homework Table
The Homework Table is a photography by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1859 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2021.84.a
- Credit line
- Gift of Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg
About this work
Overview
The photograph entitled The Homework Table captures five children gathered around a table covered with an ornate cloth. The youths are formally attired, girls in dark dresses and boys in suits with bow ties, and their expressions are focused as they attend to an unseen object on the surface.
Subject & Meaning
The composition suggests a moment of concentrated study or collaborative work, conveyed by the children's serious demeanor and close proximity. The formal dress and solemn faces underscore themes of discipline and the ritual of learning.
Technique & Style
The image employs a dark, subdued background that isolates the group, highlighting the patterned tablecloth and the subjects’ attire. The lighting emphasizes texture and contrast, lending a formal, almost staged quality to the scene.
History & Provenance
The photograph is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection, indicating its acquisition by the institution and its inclusion in the museum’s holdings of photographic works.
Artist & collection
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English family of seven
Brother and sister clasping hands
The Allen Children
The Younger Generation
Seated boy in tasseled cap
Young Woman in Pantalettes- The Homework Table & Parents of Five Children Doing Homework