Study for ‘Madonna and Child’ c. 1892

This oil painting, a study for the larger work "Madonna and Child" by James Jebusa Shannon, circa 1892, depicts a woman's face with a soft, hazy background. The artist's signature style of loose brushstrokes and soft lighting creates a sense of intimacy and serenity. The study's focus on the woman's face, veiled and downcast, suggests a contemplative and pious figure, perhaps a representation of the Virgin Mary. Shannon's work, often influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite movement, is characterized by a romanticism and a sense of spirituality, which are evident in this study.