The Artist's Mother, Mrs. Charles Peale and Her Grandchildren, Raphaelle, Angelica & Rembrandt 1780

Charles Willson Peale created this touching family scene from oil on canvas. The work's soft, diffused lighting lends a dreamlike quality. As for how it was made, Peale applied thin layers of paint, or glazes, to build up color and depth. The smooth surface finish, achieved through meticulous blending, almost hides the hand of the artist. This effect was much prized at the time. But let’s consider the social context. Peale was working in a new republic, and sought to ennoble everyday life through portraiture. The making of art, and its consumption, was part of a broader shift in social values. Instead of aristocratic excess, the rising merchant class favored images of domestic virtue, and this painting perfectly captures this sentiment. In this context, the apparent simplicity of the technique only serves to amplify the message: it is a celebration of family, rendered with the utmost care.