Mother and Child, No. 2

James McNeill Whistler

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a sketch of a woman sitting on a bench with a child. The woman is positioned centrally, facing forward, with her feet slightly crossed and her left leg lifted. She wears a dress and a hat. The child sits on her lap, facing the viewer. The woman's left arm supports the child's back, and her right arm is positioned around the child. The bench is simple with a flat seat. The background is minimal, with some lines suggesting a wall or other setting behind the woman. The entire image is rendered in shades of gray on a beige background, with visible pencil marks and smudges. The overall style is impressionistic.