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Portrait of a mother and child

John Linnell British
1823
Not on view
This delicately rendered study demonstrates Linnell’s mastery of intimate portraiture, a genre popularized in England in the eighteenth century that included miniatures painted on ivory as well as drawings. Here, the artist enhanced the lifelike effect by applying tiny touches of color to the eyes, lips, and cheeks of the unidentified sitters. Linnell started his career as a landscape painter but after he married turned to portraiture as a more reliable source of income for his family. He also supported fellow artist William Blake by commissioning engravings and watercolors, providing his friend with a steady income late in life.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Portrait of a mother and child
  • Artist: John Linnell (British, London 1792–1882 Redhill, Surrey)
  • Date: 1823
  • Medium: Graphite with watercolor and gouache (bodycolor)
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 7 1/2 × 8 1/2 in. (19.1 × 21.6 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Roberta J. M. Olson and Alexander B. V. Johnson, in memory of Laurie Vance Johnson and E. Dudley H. Johnson, 2014
  • Object Number: 2014.703.3
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

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View of Kensington Gardens, London, John Linnell British, Watercolor over graphite
View of Kensington Gardens, London
John Linnell
1812
Underriver–The Golden Valley, John Linnell British, Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, over graphite
Underriver–The Golden Valley
John Linnell
ca. 1833
Study of the artist's son, John, John Linnell British, Black and white chalk on light brown paper
Study of the artist's son, John
John Linnell
May 1835
The Lake of Zug, Joseph Mallord William Turner British, Watercolor and bodycolor (gouache) with reductive techniques over graphite
The Lake of Zug
Joseph Mallord William Turner
1843
Sabrina, Samuel Palmer British, Watercolor and gouache (bodycolor) over graphite, with reductive techniques, shell gold and gum arabic
Sabrina
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