Summary
Mother and Child is from a group of drawings in Tate Collection (Tate T11821–6) that de Francia produced between the early 1950s and mid 1960s, which demonstrate his interest in representing ordinary people and everyday circumstances. Drawn in charcoal and crayon, Mother and Child shows a young woman, plainly dressed in black, clasping a baby in her arms. Her powerful hands encircle the child’s body. The baby, with a tender gesture, touches the woman’s chin with one hand and appears to reach towards the viewer with the other. The mother’s slightly diverted gaze creates an impression of stoicism.
De Francia has stated that his aim as an artist has been ‘to produce work which makes people intensely aware of their predicament’ (quoted in Hyman, 1978, p.18)… (read more)
Other works of art you may be interested in
