It is no surprise to viewers that children can often be found at the center or main focus of many artworks. Throughout history children have resembled many different positions in society and family. They have received different care, attention, and appreciation in different cultures and contexts. The paintings, mainly pulled from American artists with one British and one German artist sprinkled in, show a contrast in cultural views of children from different countries. Starting as early as 1545 going all the way to 1948, this exhibition demonstrates different roles and ways children have been portrayed in different pieces of artwork throughout different times in history. This exhibition includes a variety of different mediums such as photos, drawings, and paintings in order to get a glimpse of how children were portrayed differently across different mediums. Walking you through different areas and aspects of children’s lives, this exhibit shows children in school, in play, at home, and in the company of adults. As the times move closer to the present, we see the shift from children strictly in the home and with adults, as seen in earlier works, to children participating in activities outside of the home and interacting with children outside of their family. Together, these pieces show this shift in the roles of children as we move from the past, closer to the present.
Lucas Cranach the Younger and Workshop, Christ Blessing the Children, 1545-50
Oil on Beech
6 ½ in x 8 ¾ in
Metropolitan Museum
This painting is filled with infants as well as toddlers. The viewer’s eyes are drawn to the center of the painting where an infant is being held by Christ, as the parents of the other infants are waiting their turn in hopes of Christ blessing their children too. The children being held by parents and the toddlers also being so close to the parents hints at the importance of the youth and the importance of family.
Joshua Johnson, Edward and Sarah Rutter, 1805
Oil on Canvas
36x32 in
Metropolitan Museum
These two children, brother and sister, are the main focus of this painting. The dark background creates a stark contrast to the children’s light hair and skin. This brings emphasis to the children and draws our attention to them. The children's eyes stare at the viewer and their posture is relaxed as if waiting for instruction from an older authority. Edward and Sarah Rutter are not partaking in any taxing activity and their fancier clothes indicate they are not going to be running around outside. This painting continues the sense of children being homebodies and incapable of doing difficult tasks for themselves.
Ambrose Andrews, The Children of Nathan Starr, 1835
Oil on Canvas
28 3/8 x 36 1/2 in
Metropolitan Museum
This painting, depicting a family playing a game of battledore and shuttlecock is the first piece in this exhibit that introduces an intimate family scene. This painting depicts a scene that we would see in a house when the family is all together and spending quality time together. We are beginning to see a shift from children having little room to have fun and do things we would typically think of when talking about children, to being able to play a fun game while their mom is reading.
Ben Hoffman Abramowitz, Children At Play, 1935-43
Lithograph
image: 11 3/4 x 9 3/4 in.
sheet: 15 1/4 x 11 1/2 in.
Metropolitan Museum
In this piece we see four boys depicted playing what appears to be basketball. They are also in a body of water, seemingly carefree playing a fun game. A big thing to note in this is that there are no parents or adult figures present. This shows a shift from children being depicted in the house or inside to children at play outside of the home and outside of the family circle. This begins to resemble children and the way they interact with others and the world around them more closely to what we are used to today.
David Feinstein, School Children, 1935-43
Lithograph
image: 8 1/2 x 11 3/4 in.
sheet: 10 1/4 x 16 in.
Metropolitan Museum
In this final painting, the artist creates a solemn feeling for the viewer through the student’s serious expressions and their sunken postures as they follow what appears to be their teacher. The children are in a single file line behind their teacher, which is an image that most who go to school can resonate with. The first depiction of children going to school in this exhibit, this piece shows children with responsibility. Their responsibility is going to school and learning. This is a shift from older art where children are expected to be at home and be obedient children. We begin to see children depicted as individual beings and independent beings with lives outside the home.
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