Nursery Paintings: Gentle Animals, Gardens and Pale Skies

Gentle animals, gardens and skies in soft, bright color.

Nursery paintings are chosen for softness: animals and birds, gardens and meadows, boats on calm water, and children at play, all in light palettes with low saturation. Brightness matters more than subject here; a pale, luminous landscape soothes in a way a dark masterpiece never will. Keep sizes small to medium and hang them where an adult can see them from the chair. Frame behind acrylic rather than glass, and anchor the frame to the wall. We leave out anything stern, dark or dramatic.

A City Park, William Merritt Chase 24 × 36 in landscape print (61 × 91 cm), centered 51¼ in from the floor, 8 in above the console table. Drawn to scale on a 12 × 8 ft wall.

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Showing 1 to 48 of 205 paintings

Small painting of woman in pink and black sitting on park bench.

William Merritt Chase A City Park, c. 1887 Art Institute of Chicago

A Monumental Portrait of a Monkey, India, c. 1705–1710, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

India A Monumental Portrait of a Monkey, c. 1705–1710 Art Institute of Chicago

Garden View, Brooklyn, Fidelia Bridges, ca. 1867, watercolor and gouache, with traces of graphite underdrawing, on tan hot-pressed wove paper

Fidelia Bridges Garden View, Brooklyn, ca. 1867 The Met

A tired-looking brown and white cow lies down on a patch of dry earth, a dark-brown bull and cow standing behind her against an overcast sky.

Paulus Potter Two Cows and a Young Bull beside a Fence in a Meadow, 1647 Art Institute of Chicago

Painting of a pond seen up close spotted with thickly painted pink and white water lilies and a shadow across the top third of the picture.

Claude Monet Water Lilies, 1906 Art Institute of Chicago

The Shepherd's Song, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, 1891, oil on canvas

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes The Shepherd's Song, 1891 The Met

Haystacks: Autumn, Jean-François Millet, ca. 1874, oil on canvas

Jean-François Millet Haystacks: Autumn, ca. 1874 The Met

Madame Roulin and Her Baby, Vincent van Gogh, 1888, oil on canvas

Vincent van Gogh Madame Roulin and Her Baby, 1888 The Met

A young, smiling boy in a ruffled collar, hat, and cumberbun rides outdoors on a brown ram, a small whip held aloft in his hand.

Francisco de Goya Boy on a Ram, 1786–87 Art Institute of Chicago

Long scroll ink painting depicting people with their animals and belongings crossing a river.

Unknown artist Yang Pu Moving His Family, Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) 元朝 Art Institute of Chicago

Lion, Unknown artist, after 1200, fresco, mounted on canvas

Unknown artist Lion, after 1200 The Met

At seascape rendered in pastel tones. At right, boats line a pink shore underneath a tall cliff. At left, a single red sailboat floats in blue water.

Claude Monet Étretat: The Beach and the Falaise d'Amont, 1885 Art Institute of Chicago

View of Genoa, Camille Corot, 1834, oil on paper, mounted on canvas

Camille Corot View of Genoa, 1834 Art Institute of Chicago

Terrace and Observation Deck at the Moulin de Blute-Fin, Montmartre, Vincent van Gogh, Early 1887, oil on canvas, mounted on pressboard

Vincent van Gogh Terrace and Observation Deck at the Moulin de Blute-Fin, Montmartre, Early 1887 Art Institute of Chicago

Poppy Field (Giverny), Claude Monet, 1890–91, oil on canvas

Claude Monet Poppy Field (Giverny), 1890–91 Art Institute of Chicago

The Place du Havre, Paris, Camille Pissarro, 1893, oil on canvas

Camille Pissarro The Place du Havre, Paris, 1893 Art Institute of Chicago

Pushing for Rail, Thomas Eakins, 1874, oil on canvas

Thomas Eakins Pushing for Rail, 1874 The Met

Landscape with Goatherd, John Singer Sargent, 1890–1891, oil on canvas

John Singer Sargent Landscape with Goatherd, 1890–1891 The Met

A Cowherd at Valhermeil, Auvers-sur-Oise, Camille Pissarro, 1874, oil on canvas

Camille Pissarro A Cowherd at Valhermeil, Auvers-sur-Oise, 1874 The Met

The Public Garden at Pontoise, Camille Pissarro, 1874, oil on canvas

Camille Pissarro The Public Garden at Pontoise, 1874 The Met

A Washerwoman at Eragny, Camille Pissarro, 1893, oil on canvas

Camille Pissarro A Washerwoman at Eragny, 1893 The Met

Poplars, Eragny, Camille Pissarro, 1895, oil on canvas

Camille Pissarro Poplars, Eragny, 1895 The Met

The Garden of the Tuileries on a Winter Afternoon, Camille Pissarro, 1899, oil on canvas

Camille Pissarro The Garden of the Tuileries on a Winter Afternoon, 1899 The Met

The Garden of the Tuileries on a Spring Morning, Camille Pissarro, 1899, oil on canvas

Camille Pissarro The Garden of the Tuileries on a Spring Morning, 1899 The Met

Camille Pissarro The Garden of the Tuileries on a Winter Afternoon, 1899 The Met

The Gardener, Georges Seurat, 1882–83, oil on wood

Georges Seurat The Gardener, 1882–83 The Met

In shades of mint, laurel, and eucalyptus green, the head and shoulders of a chubby baby fill this vertical portrait painting.

Vincent van Gogh Roulin's Baby, 1888 National Gallery of Art

At least one rowboat occupied by two people floats on a lake, which is surrounded by lush green vegetation in this vertical landscape painting.

Berthe Morisot Girl in a Boat with Geese, c. 1889 National Gallery of Art

A tree with emerald-green leaves and laden with white blossoms grows in a dirt field, and is silhouetted against a vibrant blue sky in this horizontal landscape painting. The scene is loosely painted with visible dabs and strokes.

Camille Pissarro Orchard in Bloom, Louveciennes, 1872 National Gallery of Art

A woman bends double to tend a garden that stretches before us in front of two houses in this horizontal landscape painting.

Camille Pissarro The Artist's Garden at Eragny, 1898 National Gallery of Art

Painted in mostly in jewel tones of topaz and aquamarine blue, and sage, spring, and pine green, a meadow is enclosed by a wooden fence, against a landscape of gently rolling hills under a vibrant sky in this horizontal painting.

Alfred Sisley Meadow, 1875 National Gallery of Art

River Scene, Asher Brown Durand, 1854, oil on canvas

Asher Brown Durand River Scene, 1854 The Met

Hackensack Meadows, Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1890, watercolor, gouache, and graphite on off-white wove paper

Jasper Francis Cropsey Hackensack Meadows, 1890 The Met

Warm sunlight bathes a scene with a herd of five golden tan, ivory, or chocolate-brown cows lying or standing on a low hill near four people on foot and on horseback in this horizontal landscape painting.

Aelbert Cuyp Landscape with Herdsmen, mid 1650s National Gallery of Art

Landscape with Fisherman and Washerwoman, John Rathbone, 1790–1800, oil on panel

John Rathbone Landscape with Fisherman and Washerwoman, 1790–1800 Art Institute of Chicago

The image shows four adults and one child seated on the ground within an oval frame. The child is on the far left, lying down with a bow and arrow.

George Catlin The Sioux Chief with Several Indians, 1861/1869 National Gallery of Art

The image shows three individuals against a natural background. On the left, a man is seated on the ground, his body wrapped in a beige cloth. He has long, dark hair and a solemn expression, holding a long pipe.

George Catlin Old Menomonie Chief with Two Young Beaux, 1861/1869 National Gallery of Art

The image shows a group of Native American men gathered closely together in a dance formation. They are positioned facing slightly towards the right, with their full bodies visible.

George Catlin Bear Dance - K'nisteneux, 1861 National Gallery of Art

This painting depicts a large bull standing in a grassy plain. The bull is seen from the side, facing the right. Its head is a rich brown color, while its body and legs are swirled with patches of white and brown.

H. Call Prize Bull, 1876 National Gallery of Art

A bank of flowering bushes, possibly roses, fills most of an enclosed garden in front of a white house in this horizontal landscape painting.

Claude Monet The Artist's Garden in Argenteuil (A Corner of the Garden with Dahlias), 1873 National Gallery of Art

Two horses, one dark brown and one cream white, stand together to our right against a landscape with rolling, sage-green hills and a river or canal in this horizontal painting.

Edgar Degas Horses in a Meadow, 1871 National Gallery of Art

Eight cows bathed in warm sunlight stand and lie on a riverbank carpeted in mossy green in this horizontal painting. The cows are amber, ginger, or tawny brown, bone white, or black, and all have short, curving horns.

Aelbert Cuyp River Landscape with Cows, 1645/1650 National Gallery of Art

Study for Eagle Head, Manchester, Massachusetts, Winslow Homer, 1869 (?), oil on wood

Winslow Homer Study for Eagle Head, Manchester, Massachusetts, 1869 (?) The Met

Three figures stand side by side in an outdoor setting. The person on the left is facing forward, holding a shield. They have long dark hair with feathers and wear a fringed outfit.

George Catlin Two Nezperce Warriors and a Boy, 1855/1869 National Gallery of Art

The image shows a group of five individuals - four standing and one seated in the foreground. The standing individuals have varied hand positions; two hold long pipes, and one appears to hold a bow and arrow.

George Catlin Chief and Members of the Konza Tribe, 1861/1869 National Gallery of Art

The painting features a large gray watering can in the bottom right corner, set against a lush garden background. Bushes on the right side are speckled with dots of pink, yellow, blue, orange, and purple, suggesting flowers.

Georges Seurat The Watering Can - Garden at Le Raincy, c. 1883 National Gallery of Art

A man stands and a woman sits near a herd of seven cows under a light-drenched sky in this horizontal landscape painting. The herd gathers on a grassy rise just beyond some large boulders and twiggy branches.

Aelbert Cuyp Herdsmen Tending Cattle, 1655/1660 National Gallery of Art

Versailles, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1900–1905, oil on canvas

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Versailles, 1900–1905 The Met

Collections for a nursery

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Living Room 126 shared
Guest Room 85 shared
Bedroom 83 shared
Kids' Room 77 shared

Collections for a nursery

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Rooms that share paintings