Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Robert Vernon
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/charles-robert-leslie-346" aria-label="More by Charles Robert Leslie" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Charles Robert Leslie</a>
A Scene Tristram Shandy Uncle Toby and Widow Wadman
Presented by Robert Vernon 1847
actions: expressive
actions: postures and motions
actions: processes and functions
adults
architecture
clothing and personal items
comforting
family
flirtation
handkerchief
leisure and pastimes
literature (not Shakespeare)
literature and fiction
looking / watching
man
map
military
objects
people
pipe
recreational activities
scientific and measuring
sentry box
sex and relationships
sitting
smoking
society
Sterne, Laurence, ‘Tristram Shandy’
widow
woman
<p>This is an illustration from chapter 24, volume 8, of Laurence Sterne's novel 'The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman' (1760-7). Tristram's uncle, Toby, is a veteran of the siege of Namur where he received a nasty groin injury. His hobby is re-enacting historic sieges in miniature in his garden, all of which he masterminds from his sentry box. Toby's neighbour, the widow Wadman, lays siege to his heart. She finally captures it by complaining that she has a speck of dust in her eye. Toby is forced to look, but sees nothing. But this eye, 'full of gentle salutations - and soft responses', seduces him and he falls in love. Leslie was a popular genre painter, modelling his work on that of Hogarth and Wilkie.</p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
10 October 2014 – 1 November 2015
2015-11-01
10 October 2014 – 1 November 2015
2015-11-01
2014-10-10
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2014-10-10
Poor Man's Picture Gallery
Collection based display
A Scene from Tristram Shandy (‘Uncle Toby and the Widow Wadman’)
support: 813 × 559 mm
Presented by <a href="/search?gid=999999978" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Robert Vernon</a> 1847
<p>This is an illustration from chapter 24, volume 8,  of Laurence Sterne's novel 'The Life and Opinions  of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman' (1760-7).  Tristram's uncle, Toby, is a veteran of the siege  of Namur where he received a nasty groin injury.  His hobby is re-enacting historic sieges in  <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/miniature" title="Glossary definition for 'Miniature'"><span>miniature</span></a> in his garden, all of which he  masterminds from his sentry box. Toby's neighbour,  the widow Wadman, lays siege to his heart. She  finally captures it by complaining that she has a  speck of dust in her eye. Toby is forced to look,  but sees nothing. But this eye, 'full of gentle  salutations - and soft responses', seduces him and  he falls in love. Leslie was a popular <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/g/genres" title="Glossary definition for 'Genres'"><span>genre</span></a>  painter, modelling his work on that of Hogarth and  Wilkie.</p>
Display caption
2004-08-18T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
actions: expressive actions: postures and motions actions: processes and functions adults architecture clothing and personal items comforting family flirtation handkerchief leisure and pastimes literature and fiction literature (not Shakespeare) looking / watching man map military objects people pipe recreational activities scientific and measuring sentry box sex and relationships sitting smoking society Sterne, Laurence, ‘Tristram Shandy’ widow woman