\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 This work has a strict geometric layout. The main group is set in the foreground and the objects arranged around it are alm
ost all foreshortened, to provide a further definition of the space. The rigid shapes of the map and the picture in the background block any extension of the perspective. The forward tilt of the motherÆs head, enhanced by the light, stands out strongly
against these objects. They seem to serve as the geometrical canon against which the two principal figures, disposed in opposite directions, are measured. The anxious pose of the mother, whose face is strongly shaded, contrasts with the total abandonm
ent of the child. His suffering face, turned toward the source of light, becomes the center of the scene. These figuresÆ roles are underlined by the colors as well. The figure of the mother is dominated by the brown of her clothing, enlivened only by
the bright red of the skirt which provides a deliberate contrast to the white and bright yellow in which the child is dressed. The everyday nature of the scene is conveyed through the careful untidiness with which the objects, from the jacket to the bon
net, are thrown on the chair, and given a solid appearance by the way the light falls on them.
