Mother at the Cradle and Child Sitting on the Floor 1881

Vincent van Gogh made this drawing of a mother and child, rendered in muted tones, capturing a domestic scene of rural life. This work resonates with the social realities of 19th-century labor and motherhood. Here, Van Gogh offers us an intimate portrayal of working-class life. The mother, with her weary expression, sits with an infant in her arms while a young child plays on the floor. The setting, humble and sparse, speaks to the economic hardships faced by many during this period. What does it mean to look at labor through the lens of motherhood? I am left to wonder about the lives of the women who sustain both their families and society, often with little recognition. By depicting such everyday scenes, Van Gogh elevates the lives and experiences of those often overlooked by history. The drawing serves as a poignant reflection on the intertwined nature of labor, motherhood, and class, inviting us to consider the human stories behind the larger historical narrative.