In The Grace and The Laborious Mother, Chardin focused his attention on the bonds between mothers and daughters. Together, the paintings demonstrate the complexity of Chardin’s understanding of this fundamental relationship. In The Grace, the connection between a mother and her youngest daughter is established through their eye contact. Sitting on a child-size chair, her hands clasped together in prayer, a young girl looks up for approval from her mother. Her mother, serving the meal she and her daughters are about to share, returns her gaze with a look that conveys love and encouragement. In The Laborious Mother, the mother and child do not look at each other, but at their shared work, a piece of embroidery that literally connects them. As the child assists her mother in her daily tasks, the mother prepares her daughter for the work she will take on as an adult. As you look at the paintings, consider whether they show two very different relationships, or simply two different aspects of maternal love.

The Grace, 1740

The Laborious Mother, ca. 1740

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER