James-Jacques-Joseph Tissot
French, 1836–1902

Frenchman James Tissot moved to London in 1872, where he wryly depicted the life of the newly wealthy middle class. He was a keen observer of fashion and manners, and many of his paintings subtly expose the pretensions underlying polite Victorian society.

Here a vacationing couple stands in the classical portico of London’s National Gallery, deciding what to see next. The man consults a guidebook, passing up the services of the young guide in yellow stockings, who looks off in the direction of Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column. The marvelously dressed, self-confident woman who captures our attention with her bold stare is also pointing towards Trafalgar Square with her umbrella. Is she inviting an unseen admirer to join her there (note the abandoned cigar on the steps)? Or is she inviting us to commiserate with her over her husband’s apparent lack of direction?

Oil on canvas, about 1874
Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey, 1951.409