Portrait of a Mother and Four Children

American 19th Century

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a group portrait of five individuals - a woman and four children. The woman is seated in the center holding a small child on her lap. The woman has her hair styled back and wears a dark dress with gloves. The child on her lap wears a bright garment with a lace collar. To the woman's left are two young girls with shoulder-length hair. They wear white blouses with lace collars over dark skirts. To the woman's right stands a young boy in a dark suit with a high collar. The background is a plain gradient, transitioning from dark at the bottom to lighter shades at the top.