Preliminaries of peace

This intricate painting, executed in 1888 by the German painter, Albert Raudnitz, is one of the finest examples of the artist's work. Better known for his simpler genre scenes and portraits, Preliminaries of peace has a moral depth to it that ensures that this work stands out from his others. While the mother remains in her opulent home trying to console her daughter one is aware that the father is not present. The painting on the wall behind the figures portrays a scene that could be construed to reveal where the father actually is. In the foreground we have the gentle efforts of the mother to pacify her child, hence the title of the painting. So while this work appears to be a simple representation of a domestic scene, there is a more profound moral message that makes it a fascinating work set in the German tradition of genre painting.