Image: Art Institute of Chicago / Public Domain
View source →Mother and Child
Pablo Picasso, 1921
Technical Details
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
143.5 × 162.5 cm (56.5 × 64 in)
Style
Neoclassicism
Decade
1920s
About This Work
Mother and Child is one of the most tender and monumental works of Picasso's Neoclassical period, depicting a massive, sculptural mother cradling her infant child. The figures are rendered with a simplicity and weight that recalls ancient sculpture, their forms simplified to essential volumes. The painting captures the universal theme of maternal love with an intimacy and grandeur that few works in the history of art can match.
Painted in 1921, the year after the birth of Picasso's son Paulo, Mother and Child reflects the profound impact of fatherhood on Picasso's art. The Neoclassical style — with its emphasis on monumental, simplified forms — was Picasso's response to the post-war 'call to order' in French art. The painting is one of the Art Institute of Chicago's most prized possessions.
Current Location
Valuation & Provenance
2026 Estimated Value
$80–120 million (est.)
* Estimates are based on comparable auction results and market analysis. Not a formal appraisal.
Last Known Sale
No public auction record — held in permanent museum collection
Keywords
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