Photos apps and social media—especially Instagram—are filled with adorable photos and videos of children. But children have an entirely different appeal in the history of art.
Some of the most famous artists used secular painting of children to carry a variety of coded messages. Understanding how and why children were depicted in art enlightens us about the human condition and its frailty as well as society and its structure, the economic and political milieu of a time and certainly the artistic taste and commercial appeal of the period. Although you can enjoy these works for the obvious appeal of the children, you could miss the intended message of the artist and the artwork itself.
This tour will decode the mysteries behind the some of the most famous artworks showing children and, moreover, help you develop a habit of closer looking at art. Led by Lynne Seid, art historian and Executive Director of Me-Time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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One Time