The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word MASTER
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
M
A
S
T
E
R
More clues leading to the result MASTER
- Teacher from Michaelmas term
- Mum entertains son’s teacher
- One to keep order at sea, mum seconds calls to arrest a sailor
- Gain expertise in Montezuma’s Terror
- Teacher support about to turn up
- With 1A, one who painted Mother Cradling Son
- Become an expert in how a term’s evolved?
- Mother cradling head of science teacher
- Pick up a stumping, then English runs follow Moeen’s debut
- Mother admitting son is controlling
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "With 1A, one who painted/Mother Cradling Son" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case with 1a, one who painted/mother cradling son = master.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MASTER mean?
MASTER noun- Someone who has control over something or someone.
- The owner of an animal or slave.
- The captain of a merchant ship; a master mariner.
- The head of a household.
- Someone who employs others.
- An expert at something.
- A tradesman who is qualified to teach apprentices.
- A schoolmaster.
- A skilled artist.
- A man or a boy; mister. See Master.
- A master's degree; a type of postgraduate degree, usually undertaken after a bachelor degree.
- A person holding such a degree.
- The original of a document or of a recording.
- The primary wide shot of a scene, into which the closeups will be edited later.
- A parajudicial officer (such as a referee, an auditor, an examiner, or an assessor) specially appointed to help a court with its proceedings.
- A device that is controlling other devices or is an authoritative source.
- A person holding an office of authority, especially the presiding officer.
- (by extension) A person holding a similar office in other civic societies.
- To be a master.
- To become the master of; to subject to one's will, control, or authority; to conquer; to overpower; to subdue.
- To learn to a high degree of proficiency.
- To own; to possess.
- (especially of a musical performance) To make a master copy of.
- (usually with in) To earn a Master's degree.
- Masterful.
- Main, principal or predominant.
- Highly skilled.
- Original.
- (in combination) A vessel having a specified number of masts.