Study for ‘The Bennett Family’ c. 1803

Curator: Here we have Samuel Woodforde's "Study for ‘The Bennett Family’," made sometime around the late 18th or early 19th century. Editor: It has a breezy, impromptu feel—almost like a snapshot of leisure. What strikes me is the grouping of figures, some frozen, some in motion, with the harp as a noble symbol of wealth and education. Curator: Yes, consider the social context. Woodforde, working in a time of increasing class consciousness, captures a family presenting themselves to society. A scene of domesticity designed for public consumption. Editor: Domesticity yes, but with a hint of theatricality. The woman raising the tambourine, the girls gathered around the harp—it's a performance of family harmony. I wonder what these symbols meant to the Bennetts themselves. Curator: Family portraits like this cemented social standing. The harp signifies accomplishment, access to refinement. It’s a narrative designed to convey status. Editor: A fascinating blend of posed representation and underlying emotional currents. Curator: Indeed, it provides insight into the aspirations of families during the Regency era.