Catherine and Jane Randel

Catherine and Jane Randel

Ezra Ames
Albany, New York
1814–1816
Oil on canvas
86.26
Friends of the Museum Purchase

A design motif artists have used since before the Renaissance is the portrait of a mother and child. This particular portrait shows Catherine Randel sitting in a red chair while her youngest daughter, Jane, sits in her lap. Portraits of mothers and children often celebrated the successful birth of a child and the fulfillment of the wife’s role as child-bearer. In the 18th century, it was not surprising to pair the mother with the first-born son. Here, Catherine celebrates the addition of another child into the family, especially given she was about 45 years old when Jane was born. Catherine’s attire lacks ornamentation and her restrained posture suggests her role as caregiver.