Who painted Mother and Child, No. 2?

Mother and Child, No. 2 was painted by James McNeill Whistler in 1893.

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

Mother and Child, No. 2 is held by National Gallery 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 , 1893

Mother and Child, No. 2 is an ink print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1893, this black lithograph on laid paper depicts a woman seated with an infant on her lap.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1893, this black lithograph on laid paper depicts a woman seated with an infant on her lap. The composition is restrained, using a limited tonal range to convey the figures without decorative background. The work belongs to the period when the artist was residing in Britain, a time marked by the cultural climate of the American Gilded Age.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a mother holding her child, both positioned on a simple bench. The figures are rendered with minimal detail, emphasizing their relationship through posture rather than narrative elaboration. This approach reflects the artist’s intention to avoid overt sentimentality, focusing instead on the formal qualities of the scene.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the picture was drawn directly onto a smooth stone surface, then transferred to paper. The lines are loose and appear almost sketch‑like, with faint strokes suggesting a background. The rough edges and smudges contribute to an unfinished, spontaneous aesthetic that underscores the work’s tonal simplicity.

History & Provenance

The print emerged during the artist’s productive years in the United Kingdom, when he was simultaneously active in oil painting, watercolor, and printmaking. It was produced amid his broader advocacy for “art for art’s sake,” a philosophy that prioritized aesthetic arrangement over illustrative storytelling.

Context

Situated within the late‑19th‑century discourse on modern art, the lithograph aligns with contemporary movements that rejected sentimental illustration. Its pared‑down composition and emphasis on formal balance echo the artist’s broader rejection of narrative excess, positioning the work within the era’s shift toward abstraction of subject matter.

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.