Little Fatima 

Frederic Leighton created Little Fatima using oil on canvas. Leighton used traditional art materials to create this compelling work. The way the paint has been applied is particularly striking. Notice how the texture of the child's clothing has been captured: the delicate headscarf and translucent fabrics have been rendered with loose brushstrokes and subtle blending, creating soft, flowing forms. The material seems to float around the child. Despite the high-art context, the textiles depicted here have their own history of creative practices and aesthetics. The headscarf is reminiscent of styles worn in the Middle East, and the fabric looks like it may have been woven on a loom. Skilled traditions of dyeing, weaving, and embellishment are therefore implied within the painted surface. Paying attention to materials, making, and context allows us to challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, and to appreciate the layered meanings embodied in this beautiful artwork.