Size 18" x 14"
Format Oil on Canvas
Signature Not known
Frame Not known

History of the painting

Other observations

This appears to be a painting of Ruth (now aged 15) and Elsie (now aged 3). However if it is Elsie, then she has had a haircut and lost her locks. See comments about Elsie for "The Young Kitemakers 1897".

The "Tea Time" theme was certainly one of Harry's most frequently painted occasion. There are at least six other paintings about Tea which we know about. These are "Tea with Grandmother 1883", "Teatime 1884", "Teatime 1889", "Kittys Tea Party 1892", "The Tea Party 1895" and "Tea Party 1907"

This painting represents the first change in size and format for many years. The previous one painted in a portrait format was "Interior with two small girls 1883", 14 years earlier! However this painting was not alone in that it is the same size and format as "Tea Time 1897".

This is one of only three of Harry Brooker's paintings that it has been regularly possible to purchase prints for. The other two are "Tea Time 1897" and "The Recital 1903". They were all auctioned by Sotheby's so perhaps Sotheby's sold the rights for prints to some organisation. Another possibility is that they might all have been owned by the same person at one time.