Study for La Veillée (The Vigil) by Elizabeth Nourse

Study for La Veillée (The Vigil)Elizabeth Nourse (American, 1859–1938)Pastel and charcoal on paper mounted on Masonite, 1898Sight: 54 ½ x 41 ½ in.Frame: 65 x 52 in. This preparatory study for La Veillée (The Vigil) captures a serene domestic scene, depicting a peasant woman and child in a modest interior. Nourse's delicate use of pastel and charcoal emphasizes the intimate bond between mother and child, highlighting her ability to convey emotion through subtle tonal variations and expressive line work. The composition reflects Nourse's interest in the daily lives of rural women, a recurring theme in her oeuvre. About the Artist:Elizabeth Nourse was a realist painter born in Mount Healthy, Ohio, in 1859. She began her artistic training at the McMicken School of Design in Cincinnati and later studied at the Académie Julian in Paris under Gustave Boulanger and Jules Lefebvre. In 1888, she made her debut at the Paris Salon, where her work was exhibited "on the line," indicating a position