Artwork
Head of a Child
Head of a Child is an oil painting. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work presents a portrait of a young child, depicted from the shoulders up with the head turned slightly away from the viewer.
About this work
Overview
The work presents a portrait of a young child, depicted from the shoulders up with the head turned slightly away from the viewer. Rendered in oil, the composition emphasizes the texture of the paint and the loose handling of brushstrokes, particularly evident in the hair and surrounding background.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is a child whose serious expression conveys a contemplative mood. While the facial features are rendered with care, the overall impact derives more from the painter’s focus on surface and gesture than from narrative detail.
Technique & Style
The artist applies oil paint in a thick, impasto manner, building up layers that give the face a palpable texture. Brushwork remains loose and rough, especially in the hair and background, creating a dynamic contrast between the warm, earthy palette of light browns and soft reds and the crisp pale white of the child’s collar.
History & Provenance
No specific historical data or ownership record accompanies the piece, limiting knowledge of its creation date, original exhibition, or subsequent collection history.
Context
The painting aligns with a broader tradition of portraiture that privileges painterly technique over precise likeness, echoing 19th‑century explorations of texture and the expressive potential of oil medium.
Artist & collection
