Tom Roberts
(1856 - 1931)
 

Thomas William Roberts was an English-born Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg School art movement, also known as Australian impressionism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Roberts

Mrs L. A. Abrahams
1888
Oil on canvas
41 x 36 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Australia
https://digital.nga.gov.au/archive/exhibition/roberts/default.cfm%3Firn=267106&bioartistirn=24504&mystartrow=37&realstartrow=37&mnuid=srch&viewid=2.html

 

Roberts painted a number of ‘friendship’ portraits – his "Smike Streeton age twenty-four", of 1891 which he retained until his death, is the most famous – but this painting is unique in his oeuvre. Its genre format and intimate ‘cabinet’ size were perfect for his homage to friendship: three cups and saucers have been laid out on the Japanese tray, and he has even scraped away the sitter’s hat, originally included, to make her seem more ‘at home’ in his interior.