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Past

The Sassoons

Mar. 3 – Aug. 13, 2023

The Sassoons reveals the fascinating story of a remarkable Jewish family, following four generations from Iraq to India, China, and England through a rich selection of works collected by family members over time.

The exhibition highlights the Sassoon family’s pioneering role in trade, art collecting, architectural patronage, and civic engagement from the early 19th century through World War II through over 120 works—paintings, decorative arts, illuminated manuscripts, and Judaica—amassed by family members and borrowed from numerous private and public collections. Highlights include Hebrew manuscripts from as early as the 12th century, many lavishly decorated; Chinese art and ivory carvings; rare Jewish ceremonial art; Western masterpieces including paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, and magnificent portraits by John Singer Sargent of various Sassoon family members. The Sassoons explores themes such as discrimination, diaspora, colonialism, global trade, and war that not only shaped the history of the family but continue to define our world today.

 

In the Press
“a panoramic survey of four generations of traders, socialites, soldiers and sybarites.”
— The New York Times

“The Sassoons” is an ingenious reconstruction of the lives inside the legend.”
— The Wall Street Journal

Organized by Claudia Nahson, Morris and Eva Feld Senior Curator at the Jewish Museum, New York, and Esther da Costa Meyer, Professor Emerita at Princeton University. Exhibition design by Leslie Gill and Adam Johnston, Leslie Gill Architect; graphic design by Miko McGinty.

The Sassoons is made possible by The Achelis and Bodman Foundation; The David Berg Foundation; The Starr Foundation; the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation; the National Endowment for the Arts; Barbara Tober, The Acronym Fund; The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation; David Keidan; the Oded Halahmy Foundation for the Arts; The Nancy Sidewater Foundation; Sharon Wolfe and Meir Rotenberg; Dr. Harriette Kaley; and Christopher Tsai and André Stockamp.

Additional support is provided by the Horace W. Goldsmith Exhibitions Endowment Fund; The Joan Rosenbaum Exhibitions Endowment; and The Centennial Fund.

The publication is made possible, in part, by the Dorot Foundation, Denise Littlefield Sobel, the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation, and the Barr Ferree Publication Fund at Princeton University.

Digital guide supported by Bloomberg Connects.

Portrait painting of a seated man wearing traditional Middle Eastern attire, including a tan robe with a red trim, a patterned sash, and a tall, wrapped turban. He has a long white beard and looks directly at the viewer with a calm expression. His right hand rests on an ornate table with a vase of pink roses, while the left hand rests on his lap. In the background is a scenic landscape with a body of water and distant hills under a cloudy sky.

Attributed to William Melville. Portrait of David Sassoon. Oil on canvas; 41 ½ × 33 in. (105.4 × 83.8 cm). Private Collection

Exhibition highlights

  • Large group portrait of an aristocratic 18th-century family gathered outdoors in an elegant garden setting. The central figures are finely dressed women, children, and men in elaborate silk garments with lace and embroidery. One woman plays a cello while others hold flowers, pets, and fans. A man stands beside a brown horse at left, accompanied by a young Black servant. Two women and a man sit on stone steps at right. A large oak tree and distant landscape fill the background, and a white poodle sits in the foreground.

    Johan Zoffany. The Family of Sir William Young, 1767–69. Oil on canvas; 45 × 66 in (114.5 × 167.5 cm). National Museums Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery. Formerly in the Philip Sassoon Collection

  • Oil portrait of a woman standing against a dark, shadowy background. She wears an elaborate black gown with voluminous sleeves, trimmed with lace and ribbons, and a large feathered black hat. Her face is softly lit, revealing a calm expression and slight smile. Pink satin ribbons and floral details accent her outfit, and her gloved hands are delicately clasped at her waist.

    John Singer Sargent. Lady Sassoon, 1907. Oil on canvas. Overall dims: 64 ½ x 42 ½ in. (163 x 108 cm). Courtesy Houghton Hall Collection, used by permission. Image: Painters / Alamy Stock Photo

  • Oil portrait of a woman standing against a dark brown background, wearing an elaborate black gown with gold embroidery and long sleeves. The gown features a high, wide red collar and is adorned with layered pearl necklaces and a large jeweled cross pendant. She holds a pink flower in her left hand, and her expression is calm and composed, with her dark hair pulled back and adorned with a small red accessory.

    John Singer Sargent. Sybil, Countess of Rocksavage, 1922. Oil on canvas; 63 ½ × 35 5/8 in. (161.3 × 89.8 cm). Courtesy Houghton Hall Collection, used by permission. Image: Painters / Alamy Stock Photo

  • Oil portrait of a young man standing against a dark brown background. He wears a formal black suit jacket over a high-collared white shirt with a cravat. His left hand rests on his hip, and his right arm is relaxed at his side. The man has short dark hair and a composed, slightly confident expression, looking directly at the viewer.

    John Singer Sargent. Sir Philip Sassoon, 1923. Oil on canvas; 37 ½ × 22 ¾ in. (95.2 × 57.8 cm). London, Tate, Bequeathed by Sir Philip Sassoon Bt 1939 (N05052)

  • Oil portrait of a woman seated against a dark, textured background. She has dark hair pinned back and gazes slightly to her left. She wears a loose, flowing golden-yellow gown with hints of pink, exposing a white lace-trimmed bodice underneath. Her hands rest delicately in her lap, holding part of the fabric. The brushwork is loose and expressive, especially in the folds of the gown and background.

    HOU80488 The Marchioness of Cholmondeley (d.1989) by Sargent, John Singer (1856-1925); 93x161 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Sybil Rachel Betty Cecile Sassoon, Marchioness of Cholmondeley, CBE (30 January 1894, London – 26 December 1989, Cheshire) was Chief Staff Officer to Director WRNS, WRNS HQ, Admiralty (HMS Pembroke III) from 12 November 1939 until 1946. On 9 February 1945 she was appointed as Supt. of the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and the following year was made CBE. She belonged to the prominent Sassoon and Rothschild families); American, out of copyright. PLEASE NOTE: Bridgeman Images works with the owner of this image to clear permission. If you wish to reproduce this image, please inform us so we can clear permission for you.

  • Portrait painting of a seated man wearing traditional Middle Eastern attire, including a tan robe with a red trim, a patterned sash, and a tall, wrapped turban. He has a long white beard and looks directly at the viewer with a calm expression. His right hand rests on an ornate table with a vase of pink roses, while the left hand rests on his lap. In the background is a scenic landscape with a body of water and distant hills under a cloudy sky.

    Attributed to William Melville. Portrait of David Sassoon. Oil on canvas; 41 ½ × 33 in. (105.4 × 83.8 cm). Private Collection

  • Oil portrait of a seated woman outdoors, positioned in front of a tree with autumn leaves. She has dark hair styled up and wears a golden gown with white lace detailing and floral embroidery. A soft pink plume or fan rests in her lap, held gently in her hands. The setting suggests a garden or park, with soft, muted lighting and a warm color palette.

    Henry Jones Thaddeus. Rachel Sassoon Beer, 1887. Oil on canvas; 52 × 37 in. (132.1 × 94 cm). Private collection. Formerly in Siegfried Sassoon collection

  • An open illuminated manuscript with Hebrew text on both pages, written in black ink with decorative, colorful illustrations and ornate borders. The left page features a miniature building with a domed roof and a figure looking out from a doorway, along with a panel of gold and blue. The right page contains several rectangular text panels in red, blue, and gold, along with small human figures and decorative flourishes. The parchment pages show signs of aging, with darkened edges and slight wear.

    Sassoon Haggadah. Spain or Southern France, c. 1320. Ink, tempera, and gold and silver leaf on parchment; 8 5/16 × 6 ½ in. (21 × 16.5 cm). Purchased by the State of Israel through an anonymous donor, London, L-B75.0583; 181/041. Formerly in the David Solomon Sassoon Collection (no. 514)

  • A pair of ornate Torah finials (rimmonim), crafted from metal and adorned with small golden bells. Each finial features a central column with Hebrew inscriptions on a cylindrical base, topped by elaborate branches resembling palm trees with gilded pomegranate shapes and leaves. The tops are crowned with gold pinecone-like ornaments. The objects have green, gold, and silver tones and are set against a plain, light background.

    Torah finials. England, probably London, 1804, dedicated in 1834/35 (Hebrew inscription date). Silver parcel gilt, and enamel; 6 in. (15.2 cm). Collection of Jane and Stuart Weitzman. Formerly in the Reuben and Flora Sassoon Collections

  • An 18th-century family portrait set outdoors. A man, woman, and child sit beneath tall trees with dense foliage in the background. The man, wearing a dark coat, red waistcoat, white stockings, and a black tricorn hat, sits on a rock with one hand on his hip. The woman sits beside him, elegantly dressed in a voluminous blue gown with a sheer scarf and holding flowers. The child, also in blue, sits between them. A small dog sniffs the ground near the man's foot. The landscape features a cloudy sky and distant classical architecture.

    Thomas Gainsborough. Portrait of the Artist with His Wife and Daughter, c. 1748. Oil on canvas; 36 ¼ × 27 ¾ in. (92.1 × 70.5 cm). London, National Gallery. Acquired under the acceptance-in-lieu scheme at the wish of Sybil, Marchioness of Cholmondeley, in memory of her brother, Sir Philip Sassoon, 1994 (NG6547). Formerly in the Philip Sassoon Collection

  • A Chinese ink and color painting on silk depicting a delicate blossoming branch extending diagonally across a beige background. The branch has multiple offshoots with soft green leaves and clusters of pale white flowers. The composition is minimal, emphasizing negative space. On the right side, numerous red collector's seals of various shapes and sizes are stamped vertically and horizontally across the silk, indicating ownership or appreciation by later collectors.

    After Qian Xuan. Pear Blossoms, c. 1280. China, Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). Ink and color on paper handscroll. Dimensions: Image: 12 5/16 × 37 7/8 in. (31.3 × 96.2 cm). Overall with mounting: 12 5/8 ×x 34 ft. 9 1/8 in. (32.1 ×x 1059.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1977 (1977.79). Formerly in the Percival David Collection

  • An ornate oval snuff box with gold trim and intricate decorative patterns. The lid features a central enamel portrait of a woman in 18th-century attire, framed by concentric rows of pearls and gold filigree. The background of the lid is deep red with gold star-like accents, divided by gold bands with small pearls at intersections. The sides of the box continue the red and gold motif with floral and geometric designs, including green enamel leaves around the upper edge.

    Snuffbox presented to Queen Mary by Mozelle Sassoon, Christmas 1934. Paris, c. 1762–68. Sablé gold with pearls, opals, and enamel; ¼ × 2 ½ × 1 13/16 in. (3.1 × 6.2 × 4.5 cm). Lent by His Majesty King Charles III. Photo Credit: Royal Collection Trust/© His Majesty King Charles III 2023

  • An illuminated scroll partially unrolled, with a turned wooden handle on the left. The scroll features three distinct vertical panels: the left and center panels display colorful geometric floral designs in red, green, and orange, framing large Hebrew text in white and black. The right panel contains blocks of smaller Hebrew text in black ink on a parchment background. Decorative floral borders run along the top and bottom of the scroll, enhancing its intricate design.

    Esther scroll of Reuben Sassoon. Baghdad, mid-nineteenth century. Paint on parchment with silver handle; scroll, 41/8 in. (10.5 cm); with handle 7 7/8 in. (20 cm). Weitzman Family Collection. Formerly in the Sassoon Family Collection

  • Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

    Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

  • Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

    Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

  • Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

    Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

  • Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

    Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

  • Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

    Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

  • Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

    Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

  • Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

    Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

  • Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

    Installation view of The Sassoons at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 3-August 13, 2023. Photo: Kris Graves.

Audio

Digital guide supported by Bloomberg Connects.

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The Jewish Museum · The Sassoons

Download the verbal description tour transcript.

The Jewish Museum · Verbal Descriptions of The Sassoons