“The Mother” is a portrait by Italian artist Umberto Boccioni, created in the year 1906. The artwork is executed in pastel on paper and is associated with the Realist movement. The dimensions of the piece are 28 3/8 x 20 1/2 inches (72 x 52 cm). Currently, this emotive portrait belongs to the Collection Antonio Catanese in Milan.
The artwork presents a mature female figure, rendered with a keen attention to detail that reveals the textures and nuances of the subject’s visage and hair. The strokes are expressive, allowing for a sense of depth and volume in the depiction of the flowing hair and the experienced, lined face. The woman’s gaze is directed slightly downwards, conveying a possible introspection or a moment of quietude. There’s a softness contrasted by the energetic lines that give life to her hair, which suggests a dynamic juxtaposition between the tranquility of the subject’s expression and the vigor of the representation. Boccioni’s choice of pastels adds a particular softness to the hues and shading, embodying the Realist desideratum to capture subjects as they appear in reality.
