A Mother and Daughter 

James Sant painted this image of a mother and daughter, sometime in the nineteenth century, using oil on canvas. As a successful painter of portraits, particularly of children, Sant became known for his ability to capture likeness and character. Here, the artist evokes the intimacy of family life in Victorian England. The sitters, with their fashionable clothes and carefully arranged poses, are presented as symbols of domestic tranquility and social refinement. Sant's artistic practice was shaped by institutions such as the Royal Academy, where he exhibited regularly and eventually served as president. Sant's career trajectory reflects the growing importance of professional art training and exhibition culture in 19th-century Britain. To understand Sant's art, it is helpful to study exhibition catalogues, biographies, and social histories of the Victorian era. This reveals the social function of art and portraiture at the time.