Artwork
L'example des Meres
L'example des Meres is an ink print by the Baroque artist François Lucas. It dates from 1738 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
L’example des Mères is an engraved print executed by French artist François Lucas in 1738. The work portrays an intimate domestic scene, focusing on a mother engaged in sewing while her young daughter stands nearby, holding a ribbon. The composition is set within a modest interior that includes a fireplace, a window with a drawn curtain, and a small table bearing a candle.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a quiet moment of maternal care and domestic labor, emphasizing the bond between mother and child. Both figures are adorned with floral ornaments in their hair, a customary sign of femininity and modest refinement in 18th‑century visual culture. The daughter’s ribbon may allude to the teaching of needlework, a skill traditionally passed from mother to daughter.
Technique & Style
Lucas employed the fine lines of engraving and etching to render delicate textures such as lace, ruffles, and the soft glow of candlelight. The careful modulation of tone and the rich, yet restrained, colour palette are characteristic of the late Baroque aesthetic, which favoured detailed surface treatment and a sense of depth within a compact pictorial space.
History & Provenance
Created in 1738, the print was likely circulated among collectors of French prints during the mid‑18th century. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work is documented in several catalogues of Lucas’s oeuvre, confirming its attribution and dating.
Context
During the early 1700s, French printmakers frequently depicted domestic genre scenes that reflected contemporary ideals of family life and virtue. Lucas’s choice of a sewing mother aligns with broader artistic trends that celebrated modest, everyday activities as subjects worthy of artistic attention.
Artist & collection
