John Singer Sargent

Mrs Carl Meyer and her Children

1896

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On loan

Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, USA): Sargent and Fashion

Artist: John Singer Sargent 1856–1925
Medium: Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions: Frame: 2331 × 1670 × 140 mm
support: 2035 × 1368 × 25 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Bequeathed by Adèle, Lady Meyer 1930, with a life interest for her son and grandson and presented in 2005 in celebration of the lives of Sir Anthony and Lady Barbadee Meyer, accessioned 2009
Reference: T12988

Display caption

This is a portrait of Adèle Meyer (née Levis) with her daughter Elsie Charlotte and son Frank Cecil. Her husband, a banker, was foreign emissary of the Rothschilds and chairman of De Beers. The theatrical composition of the painting, with its plunging perspective, perhaps reflects Mrs Meyer’s own passion for theatre and opera. By using studio props, including the wood panelling and Louis XV sofa, Sargent created an image of opulence and unapologetic wealth reflecting the status of Adèle Meyer in society.

Gallery label, February 2016

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