Bernard Pothast (Dutch, 1882–1966)
A Mother with Two Children
Oil on canvas, 25 ¾ × 30 in.
Framed: 37 × 41 × 3 ⅛ in.
Signed lower right: Pothast
Bernard Pothast was a Dutch painter celebrated for his intimate portrayals of mothers and children, painted with warmth and serenity. Trained at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam, he drew inspiration from the Dutch masters of the Golden Age as well as the Hague School. His softly lit interiors capture the moral simplicity and quiet domestic devotion of rural family life in the Netherlands.
In this painting, Pothast’s masterful treatment of light and texture creates a tender atmosphere of maternal affection. The mother’s gentle gesture and the golden illumination filtering through the curtained window evoke both spiritual and everyday grace.
Provenance:
From the collection of Charles G. Pauli, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
