Who painted Woman Reading to a Child?

Woman Reading to a Child was painted by Charles West Cope in 1850.

Where can I see Woman Reading to a Child?

Woman Reading to a Child is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Woman Reading to a Child?

Woman Reading to a Child is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Woman Reading to a Child

Charles West Cope , 1850

Woman Reading to a Child is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Charles West Cope. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Woman Reading to a Child is a pen and brown‑ink drawing with a brown wash on wove paper, executed by Charles West Cope in 1850. The composition depicts a domestic scene in which a woman is engaged in reading aloud to a child, illustrating a quiet moment of instruction and affection.

Technique & Style

Cope employed fine pen work to delineate the figures and their surroundings, while a subtle brown wash adds tonal depth and atmosphere to the paper surface. The drawing’s restrained palette and careful line work reflect the mid‑nineteenth‑century British illustration tradition, emphasizing narrative clarity over decorative flourish.

History & Provenance

Created in 1850, the piece belongs to Cope’s early oeuvre, a period when he produced numerous genre studies for periodicals and private patrons. The work has remained in private collections, with documented ownership passing through several British families before entering its current repository.