Souvenir of Holland

Painting is Inscribed on verso “To B.S.B. from F.D.M. Souvenir of Holland July 1901 Painted at Broadway Worrestshire [sic] August 1901”

Painting is in a modern frame.

Prov: Benjamin S. Blake (1877-196-), Massachusetts; perhaps by descent, and ultimately to a ‘runner’, who consigned it to Eldred’s, East Dennis, Massachusetts, 8 August 2017, lot 1391

BSB can be identified as Benjamin S. Blake (1877-196-), the son of Benjamin Blake (1850-1913), inventor of the Blake Transmitter for telephone communications, who had married money and travelled to Europe, perhaps with his family. The Blakes were residents of Massachusetts, and may have been friends of Millet and/or his family. The Russell House Visitors’ Book (private collection, Long Island) records that the younger Blake stayed with the Millets from 13-16 September 1901.

A careful reading of the inscription on the painting suggests that Millet and Blake travelled together or met in Holland in July 1901, and that Millet painted the work in Broadway in August in anticipation of Blake’s visit the following month. 

The unusual and convivial choice of subject and title suggest that the painting had commemorative significance for Millet and the much younger Blake.  The two sitters, toasting one-another, appear to be portraits, but neither represents Millet or Blake, and they probably are models.