This late 19th-century oil painting after Dutch artist David Adolf Constant Artz (1837-1890) depicts a mother and two children taking their midday meal.

Within the modest environs of a rustic cottage, a mother slices bread while her youngest child waits patiently - looking ahead towards a window. An older sibling sups, perhaps soup, from a bowl. The mood is tranquil with quiet respect for the meagre provisions. On the back wall, several spoons hang alongside a fireplace decorated with Delft tiles. While in the upper right, there’s a hat and coat.

Often, during the mid to late 19th century, middle-class buyers sought genre scenes, which carried a sense of rural wholesomeness. Scenes, such as this, grounded them by conveying humble virtues, e.g. gratitude for a simple meal. In some respects, this type of painting served the same aim as a ‘memento mori’ from the 17th century. That being to downplay the temporary nature of wealth by emphasising the fundamentals of life.

Artists, such as David Adolf Constant Artz produced numerous works capturing understated domestic moments. And this is a copy, completed within ten years of his original.

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-3104132

Signed lower left (DAC Artz) and held within a splendid gilt frame with foliate.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 15” x 17½” / 38cm x 45cm
Year of creation: c. 1890
Condition: Craquelure but the paint is stable. Two old patches with corresponding in-painting. Frame with some light wear.