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Louis Gallait was among the most important artists working in the then young Kingdom of Belgium in the 19th century. The highlight of his career was a monumental state commission for a painting of the “Abdication of Charles V” in 1841. Before the work was placed in its intended setting in the audience hall of the Kassationshof, it was taken on a triumphal procession throughout the whole of Europe. Today the work is housed in a Museum in Brussels.

After studying in Antwerp and Paris, Gaillat first settled in Ghent before moving to Brussels in 1843. There he became a member of the royal academy, and soon after also a member of the Academies of Berlin, Munich, Dresden, and Vienna. His international fame led to many of his works being sold abroad, especially to London and Russia. An equally large number of works found their way into museums of contemporary art, not only in Brussels and Antwerp, but also in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Versailles and St. Petersburg.

In terms of style, Gaillat's paintings represent a link between Neoclassical narrative painting and Romantic genre painting. This grandiose work depicts a mother and child against a deep blue backdrop. The fruit still life in the lower edge of the work and the boldly coloured flowers on the right accentuate her femininity. The work was painted at the height of Gallait's career shortly after his move to Brussels. According to unverifiable tradition, the work is thought to be a portrait of the artist's wife.