A Fishing Party

"A Fishing Party" is a conversation piece painted in c.1730-31 showing the antecedents of the Manners-Suttons who owned the picture in the 19th century. Elements of the composition recur in several Hogarth conversation pieces of 1730-31; the flanking figures, trees surrounding a central lake, and fishing rods in the 'Popple and Ashley Families', 1730 (Royal Collection) and the 'Jeffreys Family' of c. 1730 (Yale Center for British Art) in the 'Vane Family' (private collection) and the 'Conversation Piece with Sir Andrew Fountaine' (Philadelphia Museum of Art).