Art That Belongs in Your Community

My Family at Cotuit

c. 1900

Oil on canvas

25 × 30½ inches

Painted during the Tarbell family’s summers in Cotuit, Massachusetts, this charming group portrait predates the family’s move to New Castle, New Hampshire, and marks one of the earliest depictions of Tarbell’s growing family. Emeline Tarbell sits quietly at left while their children, Josephine, Edmund, Mary, and Mercer, are arranged naturally across the landscape, reflecting the artist’s gift for transforming everyday family life into timeless works of art.

Unlike the carefully staged interiors for which Tarbell became famous, My Family at Cotuit embraces the light and atmosphere of the outdoors while retaining the intimacy that defines his finest paintings. Today, it stands as an important record of the family before New Castle became the setting for so many of Tarbell’s best-known works.

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Oil Painting - One of ECT’s wonderful impressionist works is My Family at Cotuit (about 1900).

Cotuit was a small Cape Cod community. Everyone except their older daughter is dressed in summer white. This contrasts with the crystal blue ocean water glistening in the background. Josephine stands out in her pink dress even though she is quietly reading. Her idle hand rests on her baby brother’s umbrella covered carriage. To the her left is the youngest daughter, Mary. The middle sister, Mercie, rides a toy horse. On the far left their mother, Emeline, is playing with baby Edmund. Edmund Arnold Tarbell completed the family and was their only son. He was born during a family holiday at New Castle (June 1898). The only missing member of the family is their Russian Wolfhound, Sergius, acquired when the chidren were older.

Portrait of Mrs. Jonathan Sawyer

1936

Oil on canvas

45 × 32 inches

Painted during the final years of Tarbell’s career, this elegant portrait reflects the quiet confidence and technical mastery that distinguished his late work. Rather than relying on elaborate settings or accessories, Tarbell allows the sitter’s expression and presence to carry the composition, creating a portrait of dignity and warmth.

Exhibited in the 1938 memorial exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the painting represents Tarbell’s continued success as one of America’s most sought-after portrait painters.

The painting features Mrs. Sawyer seated elegantly in a soft, natural light. Tarbell employs a rich color palette, emphasizing warm tones and delicate details. The composition highlights Mrs. Sawyer's serene expression and graceful posture. The background is softly blurred, drawing focus to the subject. Tarbell's brushwork showcases his mastery of texture, particularly in fabric and skin tones. The overall mood conveys a sense of intimacy and quiet reflection.

Marjorie, Edmund and Little Daniel

1935

Oil on canvas

40½ × 50½ inches

Completed just a few years before Tarbell’s death, this affectionate family portrait depicts his daughter-in-law Marjorie with his grandsons Edmund and Daniel. The relaxed composition reflects the warmth of family life while demonstrating the mature balance and color harmony that characterize Tarbell’s late work.

Portrait of Myself

c. 1937

Oil on canvas

14¼ × 12¼ inches

One of Tarbell’s final self-portraits, this intimate likeness was painted near the end of an extraordinary career. Dressed in academic robes believed to commemorate his honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Dartmouth College, Tarbell presents himself with quiet honesty and confidence.

Edmund, Mary and Sergius

1920

Oil on canvas

50 × 40 inches

Tarbell portrays his youngest children, Edmund and Mary, accompanied by the family’s Russian wolfhound, Sergius. The carefully balanced composition celebrates the artist’s devotion to family while demonstrating the refined color harmonies of his mature style.

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Edmund, Mary and Sergius by Edmund Charles Tarbell, 1920

Tarbell painted here his two youngest children Edmund and Mary (at the ages of 22 and 24 respectively) and the family’s Russian Wolfhound, Sergius.

Still Life with Irises and Blue Jar

1918–1924

Oil on canvas

25 × 21 inches

Brilliant purple irises spill beside a striking blue-and-white ginger jar, one of several treasured objects that appears throughout Tarbell’s work. Painted with fresh, confident brushwork, the composition transforms familiar flowers and household objects into a work of remarkable beauty.

Still Life with Roses and Two Jars

1918–1924

Oil on canvas

25 × 30 inches

Flowers from Tarbell’s New Castle gardens and carefully chosen ceramics come together in this elegant still life. The painting reflects the same harmony of color, light, and design that distinguishes his celebrated portraits and interiors.

Portrait of Henry Clay Frick

1910

Oil on canvas

26 × 20 inches

Correspondence preserved in the Archives of American Art documents Tarbell’s repeated attempts to arrange a sitting with Henry Clay Frick. Unable to meet because of Frick’s declining health, Tarbell relied upon photographs to complete the portrait, demonstrating his remarkable ability to capture a compelling likeness without a formal sitting.

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• The portrait captures Frick's imposing presence and business acumen.

• Tarbell employs a realistic style, emphasizing detail and texture in Frick's attire.

• The use of light and shadow highlights Frick's facial features and expression.

• The background is subtly rendered, focusing attention on Frick himself.

• The color palette is muted, reflecting the seriousness of Frick's character.

• The painting conveys a sense of power and authority, characteristic of Frick's legacy.

Early Shore Scene

1883

Oil on canvas

14 × 20 inches

Among the earliest paintings in the Trust collection, this small coastal landscape dates from the year Tarbell departed for Paris to study at the Académie Julian. Its early signature and atmospheric handling provide a fascinating glimpse of a young artist on the threshold of a remarkable career.

Portrait Study of Timothy Dwight

c. 1911

Oil on canvas

36 × 31 inches

Painted in preparation for Tarbell’s formal portrait of Yale University President Timothy Dwight, this study captures the sitter’s expression with remarkable economy. Recently gifted to the Trust, it offers a rare glimpse into Tarbell’ss working process.

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The portrait depicts Timothy Dwight, a prominent educator and theologian, who served as Yale's president.

• Tarbell's style combines realism with impressionistic elements, emphasizing light and texture.

• The composition features Dwight in academic regalia, symbolizing his scholarly achievements.

• The background includes soft, muted colors that enhance Dwight's dignified presence.

• The painting reflects the early 20th-century American art movement, showcasing Tarbell's mastery of portraiture.

• It serves as a historical artifact, representing Yale's legacy and the importance of its leadership.

On the Fens

c. 1914

Oil on canvas

12 × 16 inches

Painted around 1914 while Tarbell was teaching at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, this intimate landscape captures the quiet beauty of the Fenway.

Confident brushwork, subtle color harmonies, and tranquil reflections transform a familiar Boston scene into a distinctly Impressionist work. Recently gifted to the Trust, it is one of the newest additions to the collection.

Shore Birds

Frank W. Benson

Etching

Frank W. Benson and Edmund C. Tarbell shared one of the closest friendships in American art. Classmates at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and later at the Académie Julian in Paris, they returned to Boston to teach together and became leading figures of the Boston School. This print reflects that lifelong friendship and mutual respect while reminding visitors of the artistic circle that shaped American Impressionism.

Edmund and Sigh of the Sea

1916

Pastel and pencil on paper

9 × 9¾ inches

This intimate drawing depicts Tarbell’s son Edmund with the family’s horse, Sigh of the Sea.

Executed with remarkable economy, the work demonstrates the artist’s ability to capture character and movement with only a few carefully observed lines. It also reflects Tarbell’s lifelong interest in horses, a subject that appears throughout his later work.

Edmund and Eaglet

Drawing

One of several studies of Tarbell’s son with the family’s Arabian horse, Eaglet, this drawing captures a quiet moment between rider and horse. Rather than creating a finished composition, Tarbell concentrated on gesture and relationship, revealing the thoughtful process behind many of his equestrian paintings.

To Edmund from Father

c. 1935

Pencil and charcoal on paper

7¾ × 10 inches

Inscribed ‘To Edmund from Father on Christmas’, this delicate drawing was presented by Tarbell to his son and is believed to be a study for Mary Mending a Glove. With only a few graceful lines, Tarbell established the elegant profile and dramatic hat that would later define the finished painting. The drawing is both a treasured family keepsake and a rare glimpse into the artist’s creative process.

Mary and New Castle Poppy

c. 1915–16

Charcoal on blue paper

18 × 10½ inches

Few drawings better demonstrate Tarbell’s extraordinary draftsmanship than this portrait of his daughter Mary with her horse, New Castle Poppy. Executed on blue paper with bold charcoal and delicate highlights, the drawing possesses an immediacy and confidence all its own. The image later became one of Tarbell’s most widely recognized graphic works through reproduction by the Guild of Boston Artists.

Marjorie and Danny

c. 1935

Pencil on paper

23½ × 17½ inches

Drawn as a study for Marjorie, Edmund and Little Daniel, this preparatory sketch focuses on the relationship between Marjorie and young Daniel before Tarbell developed the finished composition. Such studies reveal the careful observation and planning that lay behind even his most natural family portraits.

To Miss Tanner

1923

Drawing

Created for Portsmouth’s Tercentenary celebration in 1923, this spirited drawing depicts the Ranger and adapts an earlier composition by Portsmouth artist Marshall Johnson Jr.

Tarbell’s design was selected for the official Tercentenary publication and later presented to Virginia Tanner, whose leadership helped make the celebration a success. The drawing reflects both Tarbell’s enduring connection to Portsmouth and his willingness to contribute his talents to an important civic event.