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Artwork of the Week: May 10

Rose Hartwell, “Nursery Corner,” c.1910, painting

Rose Hartwell (1861-1917),

Nursery Corner, c. 1910, Oil on canvas, 23 3/4 x 28 ¼ inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, 1941.

Happy Mother’s Day from the BYU Museum of Art! This tender scene of a mother holding her baby depicts a quiet moment in the nursery, one of many such moments for parents of young children. The artist gives us a sense of the loving care for a baby not only in the closeness of the mother and child, but also in the objects of the nursery—a small teddy bear, blankets on the floor, and a beautifully carved cradle, decorated with flowers for the baby girl, who cannot yet appreciate these gestures of love. The deep red wallpaper, balanced by the light greens of the door and cradle, show the influence of Hartwell’s teacher, Spanish colorist Claudio Castelucho. Hartwell was among the first Utah women to study in France and exhibit at the Paris Salon. One of ten children, she remained close to her siblings and nieces and nephews throughout her life. Although she married later in life and did not have any children of her own, her paintings often depict family and domestic life. Today, we pay tribute to mothers everywhere and to women whose maternal influence has made a difference in our lives.