This fine genre painting is by the Italian artist Eugenio Zampighi. The painting depicts a genre scene—that is, something lifted from everyday life and not drawn from the landscape or the canons of history. A young mother bounces her baby on her lap, as her daughter peeks from behind her and her elderly father lights his pipe in the background. The interior setting is that of a peasant family: the humble, homely room is littered with domestic items, from pots and pans to hens and young chicks. The painterly manner is fluid and accomplished, the colour palette is rich and sombre, and the lighting provides a chiaroscuro effect.
The painting is signed ‘E. Zampighi’ top left and is contained within a giltwood frame.