Portrait of an Armenian woman with a child

Portrait of an Armenian woman with a child in 19th-century traditional dress, from the National Gallery of Armenia. The painter is Hakob Hovnatanyan (1806–1881). He was born into the Hovnatanyan family, which produced five generations of painters from the 17th to the 19th century. Hakob belonged to the last generation and learned his art from his father. His distinctive national style brought him great fame among the upper class of the 19th-century Caucasus. In Soviet times this fame quickly faded, and only recently have his works again been exhibited in Armenian galleries.

The woman sits in a dark green dress, with a dark cap and a white cloth wrapped around her neck; heavy chains and a large round pendant hang on her chest. Beside her is a child holding flowers.