18th Century Genre Watercolour of a Seated Family

Sentimental late 18th century genre watercolour of a seated family. A mother and father, and small timid looking child are flanked by their extended family, and two delicately drawn silver birch trees. The soft pastel palette borrows heavily from the Rococo movement that had reached its zenith around 1770 across Britain and Europe. Genre miniatures became highly popular during the Rococo period and were characterised by their representations of domestic vistas of everyday life. A growing Georgian middle class were attracted to their affordability and intimate scenes that often painted a soft romantic image of family life. This sweet watercolour is a prime example of such types.