A mother breastfeeding her child in a cottage while her dog sits at her feet. Etching by C. Lewis after a pen and ink sketch, Highland Nurse, by E. H. Landseer (1802-1873). 1873. Courtesy of the Wellcome Collection, where it is identified as being in the public domain. [Click on image to enlarge it.]
This rural scene escapes sentimentality by its simple, rustic surroundings and alert canine presence. The mother rests her foot on a stool and is quite buxom, and the baby itself is rather large (it looks too old for its rocking cradle). Still there is the sense of harmonious bonding as the mother cups the child's head and gazes down lovingly. The child's hand is on the other side of the mother's breast in a familiar, natural, proprietary gesture.
Link to related material
- Breastfeeding, Wet Nursing, and Feeding "by Hand," by Jessica Cox
- The Young Mother by Charles West Cope
Formatting and text by Jacqueline Banerjee. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the Hathi Trust and the University of Michigan and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document, or cite it in a print one.]
Bibliography
Wellcome Collection Web. 15 July 2022
Created 15 July 2022