Who painted Mother and Child, No. 1?

Mother and Child, No. 1 was painted by James McNeill Whistler in 1893.

Where can I see Mother and Child, No. 1?

Mother and Child, No. 1 is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Mother and Child, No. 1?

Mother and Child, No. 1 is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Mother and Child, No. 1?

Museum-quality prints of Mother and Child, No. 1 are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Mother and Child, No. 1

James McNeill Whistler , 1893

Mother and Child, No. 1 is an ink print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:upper left on stone: [the artist's butterfly]; lower left edge in graphite by unknown hand: W80 / MK 32882; lower right edge in graphite by unknown hand: C - 2887 / 4 4; lower center verso in graphite by unknown hand: DK
Markings: Marked:stamped lower verso in black ink: F.B.B. [circled]; stamped lower left verso in brown ink: [RBP monogram]

About this work

Overview

The composition centers on a seated woman holding a child on her lap, their heads inclined toward each other.

James McNeill Whistler’s lithograph Mother and Child, No. 1 presents a quiet domestic scene rendered in black on laid paper. The composition centers on a seated woman holding a child on her lap, their heads inclined toward each other. The work’s restrained palette and uncluttered setting focus attention on the figures’ interaction, inviting viewers to contemplate the subtle intimacy of everyday life.

Subject & Meaning

The image portrays a mother absorbed in the presence of her infant, her gaze directed gently downward. The softened facial features and the child’s relaxed posture suggest a bond of affection and protection. By limiting narrative detail, Whistler emphasizes the universal qualities of parental care, allowing the viewer to infer emotional depth from the simple, tender gesture.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the piece relies on the artist’s skill in drawing directly onto a stone or metal plate with greasy ink, then transferring the image onto laid paper. Whistler’s use of clean, minimal lines and a monochrome scheme creates a calm atmosphere, demonstrating how the lithographic process can convey nuanced expression without reliance on color or elaborate shading.

History & Provenance

Created during Whistler’s mature period, the work reflects his ongoing interest in tonal harmony and understated composition. While specific exhibition records are scarce, the print has circulated among collectors of 19th‑century British prints and appears in several catalogues of Whistler’s graphic oeuvre, confirming its place within his broader printmaking output.

Context

In the late 1800s, lithography experienced a revival among artists seeking economical means to disseminate their work. Whistler’s engagement with the medium aligns with contemporary trends that valued reproducibility and the exploration of line over color. The subject, a mother and child, resonated with Victorian sensibilities that idealized domestic virtue and familial devotion.

Mother and Child, No. 1, James McNeill Whistler

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Artist & collection

Artist

James McNeill Whistler

James Abbott McNeill Whistler (; July 10, 1834 – July 17, 1903) was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom.