Artwork
Copt Mother and Child
Copt Mother and Child is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Frederick Goodall. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Copt Mother and Child is a watercolour painting by Frederick Goodall, created after the artist spent years living in Egypt and observing the local population.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a Coptic Christian mother cradling her sleeping child, capturing a tender, intimate moment. The subject is rendered with attention to detail, suggesting a portrait-like quality.
Technique & Style
Soft, wet strokes are used to convey the folds of the mother's robe and the child's delicate features, creating a sense of quiet and intimacy.
Context
Although the scene is depicted with a sense of privacy, it was intended for a British audience seeking representations of exotic, foreign cultures.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frederick Goodall spent his life chasing the light he first saw in Egypt—his watercolors glow with the same dusty gold he found in Cairo’s streets.
An Egyptian Fellah Woman with her Baby
The mother of the messiah
The Awakening
The Young Mother
The Father's Leave-Taking
An Egyptian Peasant Woman and Her Child
Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist
Mother's Happiness
La Siesta, Memory of Spain
Scene in the Jewish Quarter of Constantine
The Virgin and Child
Egyptian Mother