Children with Parrot 1850

"Children with Parrot" was painted by Christina Robertson, a Scottish artist known for her portraiture, though the exact date of its creation remains unknown. This artwork offers a glimpse into the lives of privileged children in 19th-century Russia. The sitters' elaborate clothing is indicative of their social standing, but it also invites questions about the burdens and expectations placed upon children of the aristocracy. The young boy is dressed in a military-style uniform, which hints at a pre-determined path of service to the state. Meanwhile, the girl is dressed in white, a color often associated with purity and innocence. She is holding a colorful parrot, perhaps representing the exotic and faraway lands associated with privilege. Robertson's rendering captures the children's physical likeness and a sense of their interior lives. The artwork asks us to reflect on childhood, identity, and the ways societal roles are imparted from a young age.