Teatime

The composition of Teatime is typical of Forbes's work at the turn of the century. By Order of the Court (1889; Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), which depicts the auction of a destitute family's chattels, and The Village Philharmonic (1888; Birmingham City Art Gallery), both situate a group towards the corner of a room with a single window providing the principal light source. The most comparable picture to Teatime, however, is 22nd January 1901: Reading the News of the Queen's Death in a Cornish Cottage (1901), wherein the low ceiling and juxtaposition of table and window make the spatial geography feel remarkably similar.

KMc.