Jessie Willcox Smith, The Tea Party

Jessie Willcox Smith was a portraitist, and she was especially in demand for her paintings of children. The Tea Party is an intimate portrayal of Howard, Margaret, Dora, and Polly Butcher, young members of a Chestnut Hill family. Smith conveys each child’s distinct personality and approach to the feast of graham crackers, milk, and grapes. Howard, seated at left, seems lost in thought, perhaps dreaming about the future.