Dimensions: support: 2045 x 2718 mm frame: 2300 x 2970 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Here we have George Romney's "The Beaumont Family," currently housed at the Tate. It gives off a sense of poised affluence, but what's especially striking is the somewhat staged quality of the composition. What are your initial thoughts on this painting? Curator: It's fascinating how Romney constructs this image of the Beaumont family. It’s more than just a portrait; it's a performance of social standing. Notice the positioning of each figure, the strategic use of the globe, the implication of their interests and holdings, to reinforce the Beaumonts' place in society. Editor: So, it’s not just about capturing likenesses but about conveying status. Curator: Precisely. Think about the role of portraiture during this period and the power it held in shaping public perception. This image served to cement their reputation and project a particular narrative. Editor: I see how the painting functions as a statement, less about personal connection, more about public presentation. Curator: Exactly. It reveals much about the art world's function, then and now.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/romney-the-beaumont-family-n03400
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This ambitious portrait depicts various family members gathered around a painted portrait, possibly a recently deceased brother or a member of the present family group. Here, Romney celebrates the kinship of family life, while acknowledging, through the group’s focus on the portrait upon the table, the vital role of the artist in articulating the sensibility which underlies the familial relationship. This type of intimate family portrait or ‘conversation piece’ had been common in British art for several decades, although in the past it had been painted on a much smaller scale. However, Romney uses the life-size format more usually reserved for official, public portraiture. Gallery label, May 2007
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