Noted for his distinctive works of conté or watercolour and inks on paper, Nuttall’s paintings have a distinctly sculptural look. Having studied under the sculptor Elizabeth Frink (whose work is also in our collection), Nuttall’s portraits depicture the human form through interlinking shapes and lines, enhanced by tone and texture. 

The mother and child depiction is seen throughout art, especially within religious art where the Madonna and Child is reiterated in various forms. Here Nuttall portrays the mother in profile, whilst her child looks out at the viewer. She tenderly holds the child in her arms. Their arms merge into each other’s, creating an infinite circle – a suggestion of the everlasting and continuous bond often found between mother and child.