Tempera on wood
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Chantrey Bequest
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/mary-sargant-florence-187" aria-label="More by Mary Sargant Florence" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Mary Sargant Florence</a>
Children at Chess
Presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest 1949
boy
chess / draughts
chess board / chequerboard
children
domestic
Florence, Philip Sargent, Dr
furnishings
girl
individuals: female
individuals: male
interior - non-specific
interiors
leisure and pastimes
named individuals
objects
people
portraits
recreational activities
Sargant-Florence, Alix, later Strachey
sports and games
table
<p>Sargant Florence’s children are the subject of this painting. Philip (aged thirteen) and Alix (nine) are shown engrossed in their game. The interlocking composition excludes the viewer and there is little sentimentality. The flat treatment of the painted surface, heightened by the matt finish of egg tempera, focuses attention on the bold pattern of line and contrasted colours. Sargant Florence was a committed feminist. She encouraged her children to pursue their artistic talents. Alix later became a respected psychoanalyst, and Philip a celebrated economist.</p><p><em>Gallery label, October 2020</em></p>
painting tempera wood
1 February 2001 – 2 June 2003
2003-06-02
Tate Liverpool (Liverpool, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/
2001-02-01
Modern British Art II
Collection based display
14 December 2012 – 26 September 2022
2022-09-26
10 December 2012 – 25 September 2022
2022-09-25
2012-12-10
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2012-12-14
Gallery 4
Collection based display
Children at Chess
support: 902 × 400 mm

Presented by the Trustees of the <a href="/search?gid=999999977" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Chantrey Bequest</a> 1949
<div class="text">
<p>Sargant Florence’s children are the subject of this painting. Philip (aged thirteen) and Alix (nine) are shown engrossed in their game. The interlocking composition excludes the viewer and there is little sentimentality. The flat treatment of the painted surface, heightened by the matt finish of egg tempera, focuses attention on the bold pattern of line and contrasted colours. Sargant Florence was a committed feminist. She encouraged her children to pursue their artistic talents. Alix later became a respected psychoanalyst, and Philip a celebrated economist.</p>
</div>

Display caption
2020-10-13T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N05960</b> CHILDREN AT CHESS <i>c.</i> 1903
<br/> 
<br/>Inscr. ‘Sargant-Florence’ b.l.
<br/>Tempera on wood, 35 1/2×15 3/4 (90×40).
<br/>Chantrey Purchase from the artist 1949.
<br/><i>Exh:</i>
N.E.A.C., winter 1910 (28), as ‘A Game of Chess’; N.E.A.C. <i>Retrospective Exhibition</i>, January–February 1925 (44), and Manchester, April–May 1925 (160); Venice Biennale, 1930 (British Pavilion, 197); N.E.A.C., Paris, June–July 1938 (89); R.A., 1950 (78).
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>Royal Academy Illustrated</i>, 1950, p.34.</p>
<p>The children are the artist's son and daughter; the son, Dr Philip Sargant Florence, is Professor of Commerce, University of Birmingham, and the daughter, Alix, afterwards married James Strachey (subject of the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/portrait" title="Glossary definition for 'Portrait'"><span>portrait</span></a> by Duncan Grant, <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/grant-james-strachey-n05765" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N05765</span></a>).</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, I
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-08T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
boy chess board / chequerboard chess / draughts children domestic Florence, Philip Sargent, Dr furnishings girl individuals: female individuals: male interior - non-specific interiors leisure and pastimes named individuals objects people portraits recreational activities Sargant-Florence, Alix, later Strachey sports and games table