Father’s love c. 1839

Wilhelm Marstrand rendered this scene with oil paint, likely in the mid-19th century. Oil paint, of course, has a long and well-established history within the fine arts. Here, Marstrand leverages the material for its capacity to blend color, creating both photorealistic details and painterly effects. What's interesting about his application, though, is his loose, gestural brushwork. We see broad swathes of pigment, thinly applied to the canvas. The texture is almost gritty. This gives the painting an immediacy, as though Marstrand dashed it off in a single sitting. The father and child seem caught in a fleeting moment. But this belies the artistic skill involved in the process. Marstrand likely spent years mastering his technique. His choice of oil paint elevates this quiet, domestic scene. It reminds us that artistic traditions are always developing, incorporating new ways of seeing and new social values.