Children at their Morning Toilet

"Children at their Morning Toilet", painted in 1886, offers us a glimpse into a private, domestic world. This beautiful painting, measuring 1.1 meters wide by 1.36 meters tall, is housed right here in the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent. The artist invites us to observe two children in a softly lit room, likely at the start of their day. One child sits on a chair, while the other stands at a dressing table, perhaps combing their hair or preparing for the day ahead. A mirror above the table adds a fascinating layer to the scene, reflecting a portion of the room and giving us a partial view of the standing child's face. The warm light and the heavy curtains partially drawn over the windows create a sense of quiet intimacy, as if we are privileged to witness this peaceful moment in these children's lives.