The Child by Jon Molvig was the winning work of the Third Annual Lismore Art Prize in 1955. The painting caused much comment and controversy as it explored modernist ideas about art which many people were uncomfortable with at that time. One letter to the editor of The Northern Star described the painting as “as flat as the canvas on which it is painted. It is a poor caricature in sickly colour”.

Molvig was one of the most important artists in the Brisbane art scene during the period between 1950 and 1970.

It is suspected that the child depicted may be the son of fellow painter and friend of Molvig, John Rigby.