La mére bienaimée (The Well-Loved Mother)

Jean Massard (printmaker); Jean-Baptiste Greuze (after artist & publisher); Niquet (Calligrapher)

National Gallery of Art

This print shows a crowded scene with multiple people clustered around a seated woman. On the right side, a man stands with one leg forward and gestures with his right hand. He wears a long coat, a hat, and tall boots, with a satchel hung over one shoulder and a tall rifle in his left hand that rests on the ground. The woman is on the left, seated in a chair or bed, surrounded by children. A few older women lean towards her as well. All of the people have light skin. The background features heavy drapery on the left and a dark wall on the right, with a guitar hanging on the wall to the left of center. Several dogs are near the man's feet, and an overturned basket and scattered items are on the floor.