What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

The artwork depicts their family dynamic. The father is seated in a chair, while the wife and child are standing beside him. The father seated in the chair symbolizes someone of power, however they’re all at the same dimensions so that represents how in their household power is shared. The father does not have all the power, which is what is expected from this time. The depiction of them being at the same level shows the differences between equality and equity, this being a representation of equity, which was more common during this time period compared to equality.

What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?

The child is naked, and he has a finger in his mouth. This allows us to make sense of his youth, and he is also the same height as the mother. This depicts youth as well because the father is significantly taller. The father is significantly larger even though he his seated while they are standing. This helps us understand the power dynamic in both the family and society.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

The museum placed this artwork in a position related to other pieces from the same time period. They also placed it in a different direction so that they light can hit it in a certain way.

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