Mrs. William T. Evans and Her Son

Henry O. Walker, Mrs. William T. Evans and Her Son, 1895, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of William T. Evans, 1915.4.1
Copied Henry O. Walker, Mrs. William T. Evans and Her Son, 1895, oil on canvas, 36 1829 in. (91.773.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of William T. Evans, 1915.4.1
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Artwork Details

Title
Mrs. William T. Evans and Her Son
Date
1895
Dimensions
36 1829 in. (91.773.8 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of William T. Evans
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Portrait group — family — mother and child
  • Portrait female — Evans, William T., Mrs. — knee length
Object Number
1915.4.1

Artwork Description

This painting shows the wife and son of William Thomas Evans, a businessman and art collector who donated a large number of paintings to this museum in 1915. Henry Oliver Walker chose to portray Mrs. Evans reading a book to her son, emphasizing that she was raising the child with a classical education in literature. Light bounces off the ornate tabernacle frame, drawing us into the image and bringing out the lighter shades of paint in the figures' faces. The floral pattern in the gilded surround mimics the lively brushstrokes in the background, while the scrolls at the top echo the design of the armrest, strengthening the relationship between the image and its frame.