The Belgian artist Bernard Pothast enjoyed a successful career as a genre painter. His sentimental renderings of peasant life were popular during his lifetime and remain so today. Born in Belgium, Pothast went to Paris to attend the Ecole des Beaux Arts. There he studied under the artist Ferrier. He later was a student at the School of Reichsakad and also honed his skill in Amsterdam under the artist, Allebe. Pothast's favorite subject was the peasant family. His peasant mothers, often shown instructing or caring for their young children are imbued with virtue and strength. Adept at both figure painting and still-life, he would place his charming groups in rustic interiors sparingly decorated with the family's humble possessions. These interiors were typically illuminated by the light of early or midday sunshine.
