Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/john-singer-sargent-475" aria-label="More by John Singer Sargent" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">John Singer Sargent</a>
Essie Ruby and Ferdinand Children Asher Wertheimer
Presented by the widow and family of Asher Wertheimer in accordance with his wishes 1922
actions: postures and motions
adults
animals: mammals
boy
children
couch
dog - non-specific
domestic
furnishings
girl
groups
individuals: female
individuals: male
interiors
kneeling
living room
named individuals
objects
people
portraits
sitting
Wertheimer, Elizabeth
Wertheimer, Ferdinand
Wertheimer, Helena
woman
<p>These three Wertheimer children were painted in the schoolroom of their home at 8 Connaught Place, London. Essie (aged 22) is presented as an adult, seated slightly detached on the sofa with a small dog on her lap. Her younger siblings, Ruby (aged 12) and Ferdinand (13), lean more informally across an ottoman, dressed in clothes typical of the upper classes at this time.</p><p>Despite the naturalness of the grouping, certain critics disliked the atmosphere of privilege. The Spectator observed 'Here the pet dogs are bedecked with bows, and the air we feel smells of scent and burnt pastilles'.</p><p><em>Gallery label, July 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
8 October 2004 – 4 September 2005
2005-09-04
8 October 2004 – 16 January 2005
2005-01-16
2004-10-08
Brooklyn Museum of Art (New York, USA)
25 February 2005 – 22 May 2005
2005-05-22
2005-02-25
Chrysler Museum of Art (Norfolk, USA)
http://www.chrysler.org
18 June 2005 – 11 September 2005
2005-09-11
2005-06-18
Portland Art Museum (Portland, USA)
2004-10-08
Great Expectations: John Singer Sargent Painting Children
Loan-out
3 October 2006 – 13 May 2007
2007-05-13
3 October 2006 – 8 January 2007
2007-01-08
2006-10-03
Fundación Caja (Casa de las Alhajas) (Madrid, Spain)
3 October 2006 – 8 January 2007
2007-01-08
2006-10-03
Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza (Madrid, Spain)
12 February 2007 – 13 May 2007
2007-05-13
2007-02-12
Petit Palais, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris (Paris, France)
2006-10-03
Sargent/Sorolla
Loan-out
5 April 2011 – 9 October 2011
2011-10-09
5 April 2011 – 26 June 2011
2011-06-26
2011-04-05
Centro del Carmen (Valencia, Spain)
19 July 2011 – 9 October 2011
2011-10-09
2011-07-19
CaixaForum Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain)
http://www3.lacaixa.es
2011-04-05
Portraits of the Belle Epoque
Loan-out
15 November 2021 – 24 July 2022
2022-07-24
15 November 2021 – 24 July 2022
2022-07-24
2021-11-15
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2021-11-15
Sargent's Wertheimer Portraits
Collection based display
Essie, Ruby and Ferdinand, Children of Asher Wertheimer
support: 1613 × 1937 mm

Presented by the widow and family of Asher Wertheimer in accordance with his wishes 1922
<div class="para1">
<span class="text0">These three Wertheimer children were </span><span class="text14">painted in the schoolroom of their home at</span><span class="text0"> </span><span class="text15">8 Connaught Place, London. Essie (aged      22)</span><span class="text0"> is presented as an adult, seated slightly      detached on the sofa with a small dog on </span><span class="text16">her      lap. Her younger siblings, Ruby (aged 12)</span><span class="text0"> and      Ferdinand (13), lean more informally across an ottoman, dressed in clothes      typical of the upper classes at this time. </span>
</div>
<div class="para9">
<span class="text0">
<br/> </span>
</div>
<div class="para1">
<span class="text0">Despite the naturalness of the grouping, certain      critics disliked the atmosphere  of privilege. The </span><span class="text17">Spectator</span><span class="text0"> observed  'Here the pet      dogs are bedecked with bows, and the air we feel smells of scent and burnt      pastilles'. </span>
</div>

Display caption
2004-07-16T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N03711</b> ESSIE, RUBY AND FERDINAND, CHILDREN OF ASHER WERTHEIMER 1902</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘John S. Sargent. 1902’ b.l.
<br/>Canvas, 63 1/2×76 1/4 (161·5×193·5).
<br/>Presented to the National Gallery by the widow and family of Asher Wertheimer in accordance with his wishes 1922; transferred 1926.
<br/><i>Coll:</i> As for <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/sargent-asher-wertheimer-n03705" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N03705</span></a>.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> New Gallery, summer 1902 (251), as ‘Children of A. Wertheimer, Esq.’; Glasgow Institute, 1905 (136).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> Robert Ross, ‘The Wertheimer Sargents’ in <i>Art Journal</i>, 1911, p.8, repr. p.1; Downes, 1925, pp.56, 198, repr. facing p.208; Charteris, 1927, p.270; Mount, 1955, pp.225, 437; McKibbin, 1956, p.130; Mount, 1957, pp.187, 346.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>Kunst für Alle</i>, XXIII, 1907–8, p.31; Manson and Meynell, 1927, n.p.</p>
<p>Essie (Mrs Eustace H. Wilding, 1880–1932?) and Ruby (1889–1942?) were the fourth and sixth (and youngest) daughters of the Wertheimer family, and Ferdinand the fourth and youngest son, who later changed his name to Ferdinand (‘Bob’) Joseph Conway (1888–1950). The group was painted at 8 Connaught Place, London, where it hung over the mantelpiece in the dining-room. The poodle ‘Noble’ appears again here, along with Ferdinand's bulldog and another dog.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-07-20T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: postures and motions adults animals: mammals boy children couch dog - non-specific domestic furnishings girl groups individuals: female individuals: male interiors kneeling living room named individuals objects people portraits sitting Wertheimer, Elizabeth Wertheimer, Ferdinand Wertheimer, Helena woman