Godmother’s Farewell 1859

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller painted "Godmother's Farewell" with oil on canvas to capture a poignant moment. Look at the textured brushstrokes, see how they capture the light on the godmother’s dress, and the roughspun clothes of the children. There’s a clear contrast in the quality of fabrics and the way they drape and fold. We can see the difference in social class between the well-to-do godmother and the children. Their gestures and her somber, sympathetic expression, hints at the labor and lives these children are born into, compared to the opportunities afforded to her. Waldmüller’s skill in rendering these details invites us to consider not just the narrative, but the material realities that shaped 19th-century Austrian society. It encourages us to think about the social context of art itself.