Little Girl with Pet Rabbit
c. 1845
Medium
oil on paper on wood
Dimensions
overall: 30.7 x 24.5 cm (12 1/16 x 9 5/8 in.) framed: 34.6 x 29.5 x 2.2 cm (13 5/8 x 11 5/8 x 7/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch
Accession Number
1953.5.70
Art Historical Context
Created around 1845, *Little Girl with Pet Rabbit* captures a tender moment of childhood companionship. Sturtevant J. Hamblin, a New England folk artist, presents his young subject with direct gaze and gentle affection for the small rabbit she cradles. The simple composition emphasizes innocence and domestic warmth, themes that resonated deeply with mid-nineteenth-century American families. Painted in oil on paper mounted to wood, the work reflects the practical choices of itinerant folk painters who often worked with accessible materials. This support allowed for portability while still achi...