A Tough Story (work of art)
Artwork Info
Key Ideas
- This work of art is an example of a genre painting. Genre paintings show scenes from everyday life.
- John George Brown was a British-American artist known for his genre paintings. In the late 1800s, he was one of the most popular and financially successful artists in the United States.
- Brown became especially well known for painting New York City street children wearing tattered clothing. Rather than showing the full hardship of their lives, Brown often portrayed these children as clean, cheerful, and hopeful.
Learn More
During the 1880s, many children from poor families lived and worked on the streets of New York City. In paintings such as A Tough Story, the artist does not focus on the danger or suffering of urban poverty. Instead he presents a calmer and more optimistic scene. The children appear to be poor but hardworking, and the painting encourages viewers to respect their effort rather than feel sorry for them.
The scene is painted in a simple, realistic style, which helps make it feel believable. One boy’s shoeshine box has the name “Pat” carved into it, suggesting he may be an Irish immigrant. Although the boys wear tattered clothing, they look clean and healthy. Their tired expressions, however, suggest that their lives are difficult.
I do not paint poor boys solely because the public likes such pictures and pays me for them, but because I love the boys myself, for I, too, was once a poor lad like them.
John George Brown
John George Brown was one of the wealthiest and most popular artists of his time. He became famous for painting scenes of everyday city life in the late 1800s. Brown often depicted working children, such as bootblacks (people who shine shoes and boots), newsboys, and street musicians. His paintings usually show children in a positive and sometimes funny way. Many of his artworks were shared with large audiences through lithographs, which are printed copies of the original paintings. Brown was sometimes called the “Bootblack Raphael” because he painted shoeshiners with great skill and an idealized style that reminded people of the famous artist Raphael.
tags: conversation, fashion, childhood
Additional Resources
Resources for Teachers
- Explore an NCMALearn lesson plan based on A Tough Story.
- Read an article about genre painting from the Tate Gallery.
Resources for Students
- Watch a video that features still images of Brown’s paintings.
- Read a short article about Brown from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Images
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A Tough Story