Never Mind 1884

'Never Mind' was painted in 1888 by Frederick Morgan with oil on canvas, a traditional medium that allowed for the illusionistic effects that were so favored at the time. Look closely and you can see that the smooth surface of the artwork is deceptive; Morgan had to carefully blend and layer the oil paints to create the lifelike textures of skin, fabric, and hair, which required a high level of technical skill and long hours in the studio. In a world before photography could capture such scenes in a split second, this was the artist’s role: to arrest moments in time. This painting is interesting when you consider it in the context of 19th-century commercialism. Morgan specialized in sentimental scenes like this one, which were widely reproduced as engravings and prints for middle-class homes. He wasn't just creating a unique work of art; he was producing a prototype for mass consumption, and the labor of painting was just the first step in a much larger process of mechanical reproduction. It’s important to remember that even seemingly straightforward images have a complex story behind them, connected to the social and economic conditions of their time.