Were it not for the title which the artist has given to this picture, we might be disposed to think he had intended it for one of those sacred subjects that came from the pencils of some of the old Italian masters: for example, it might be accepted, so far as refers to the composition, as a representation of the Virgin, the infant Christ, and St. John; such as Raffaelle, Titian, Del Sarto, and others, loved the paint, and which have become so familiar to us. Clearly M. Bouguereau had these subjects in his “mind’s eye” when meditating how to construct his picture; for the treatment has many prototypes in the works of those artists who flourished in Italy three or four centuries earlier. Seated on a mound of earth, in a partially-open landscape, is the mother of the two boys, with her face bent down towards the child of her lap, as we see her in, for example, Oggione’s ‘Madonna del Lago,’ in the Brera Gallery, Milan, and in many others which it is needless to point out. Standing before his mother and younger brothers is the elder; both children are lovingly embracing, just as we see the infant Christ and the young St. John in the old pictures alluded to. The group offers no originality of treatment, but the figures are well drawn, and the mother is graceful in form and has very agreeable expression of countenance.

STEEL ENGRAVING – “FRATERNAL LOVE” from the painting by W.A. Bouguereau, engraved by G. Bertinot, and published in 1885.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving measures 10 ½” x 7 1/8”, and is matted to 12” x 16” for easy framing.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, engravings, and lithographs are printing processes, which use steel, copper, stone or wood blocks or plates to produce a picture on paper.

Most antique prints and engravings, which are seen on the internet today, are bookplates.  Because they are pages from a book, there are multiple copies in existence.  This does not, however, mean that they are "reproductions" that have been printed recently.  Because they were, at some point, part of books, some have been preserved in excellent condition, while others show signs of age, as yellow spots or darkness on the edge of the page from being handled.

Engravings, and lithographs are high quality pieces of art, as it took a highly trained artist many hours of work to produce one.  Although there may be multiple copies still in existence, the date of the item should be stated, thus giving the buyer an idea of its age.