Mother & Child Portrait Painting in Oil

This portrait presented a great opportunity for Marvin to innovate upon one of the oldest motifs in Western Art, depicting the relationship between a mother and her infant child on canvas.

The theme of maternal devotion is subtly alluded to by the affectionate touching of Hayden's toes. Since he is the primary focus, he is rendered in a higher value key and wearing an eggshell blue outfit. This contrasts nicely against the darker analagous colors and the geometric shapes which surround him.

The inclusion of the Chinese armoire and the stacked woven baskets give this painting a touch of Eastern flavor balanced against the contemporary couch and drapery. The repetition of ellipsis (the armoire hardware, the baskets and the two faces) unite the foreground with the background.