Mother and Two Children with Still Life
1810
Medium
Oil on panel
Dimensions
36.3 × 30.3 cm (14 1/4 × 11 15/16 in.); Framed: 50.5 × 44.5 × 7.7 cm (19 7/8 × 17 1/2 × 3 in.)
Classification
oil on panel
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
102089
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Adriaan de Lelie’s *Mother and Two Children with Still Life* (1810) offers an intimate glimpse into early nineteenth-century domestic life. Painted in oil on panel—a medium prized by Northern European artists for its smooth surface and capacity to render fine textures and luminous details—the work portrays a tender family moment alongside carefully arranged objects. The compact format, measuring just over 14 by 12 inches, invites close viewing and emphasizes the quiet warmth of the scene. De Lelie, active in the Netherlands during a period of political upheaval following the French Revolution, continued the Dutch tradition of celebrating everyday virtues. Here, the inclusion of a still-life element alongside the figures highlights the artist’s skill in balancing human warmth with precise observation of material objects. Now part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s European painting collection, the work reflects the enduring appeal of intimate family subjects in Dutch art.
About the Artist
Adriaan de Lelie
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