Who painted Mother and Child, No. 2?

Mother and Child, No. 2 was painted by James McNeill Whistler in 1896.

Where can I see Mother and Child, No. 2?

Mother and Child, No. 2 is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Mother and Child, No. 2?

Mother and Child, No. 2 is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Mother and Child, No. 2

James McNeill Whistler , 1896

Mother and Child, No. 2 is a print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Mother and Child, No.

About this work

Overview

Mother and Child, No. 2, a 1896 print by James McNeill Whistler, is part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection. The work depicts a serene scene of a woman cradling a sleeping infant, characterized by soft, blurred light.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, a woman in a loose white dress tenderly holding a sleeping baby, conveys intimacy and quietude. The composition suggests a private, introspective moment, contrasting with the formality of Whistler's earlier, more renowned family portrait.

Technique & Style

Whistler employs soft, smudged edges and subtle light effects, reminiscent of the *sfumato* technique, to create a dreamy, memory-like quality. This approach marks a departure from the sharper lines of his earlier work, such as *Arrangement in Grey and Black*.

History & Provenance

Created in 1896, decades after *Whistler’s Mother*, this print reflects the artist's evolution towards softer, more expressive forms. The piece is now housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Artist & collection

Artist

James McNeill Whistler

James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom.