A Woman and Five Children
- Artist: The Le Nain Brothers
- Date: 1642
- Medium: oil on copper
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is "A Woman and Five Children" painted in the Italian north. It's a work from 1642, made with meticulous attention to detail using oil on copper.
As you can see, it's quite hard to tell where these people are or what their relationships are to each other. Their individual facial expressions seem to be the main focus of the painting. The bright colours of the children's clothes stand out against this dark background.
The woman in the back seems a bit awkwardly positioned - there might even have been an error with the perspective, and the tablecloth was likely added to hide it. But despite that, the terracotta jug, bowl, and delicate glass are all painted with great care.
It's interesting to note how the white tablecloth conveys dignity, while the empty vessels suggest poverty. Perhaps this painting was a luxury object owned by someone who gave charity to the poor - these might be portraits of abandoned children being cared for by wealthier benefactors.
See it in person
A Woman and Five Children hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
