James Tissot, On the Thames (Oh How Happy I Could Be with Either?), c. 1876

Jacques Joseph [James] Tissot (1836-1902) was born in Nantes, France and made his name as an artist from the 1860s onwards, painting scenes of contemporary Parisian society. He moved to London in 1871 where he stayed for a decade, living amongst a community of artists in the St John’s Wood area of London. He maintained a fascination with England throughout his life, even changing his name to James to appeal to the British public and collectors, amongst whom there was growing anti-French sentiment at the time.

Tissot carved out a successful career depicting life in the modern metropolis, focusing in particular on the fashionable young women of the bourgeoisie. While he was often criticised for his pandering and flattery of the nouveau riche, close examination of many of his works reveals subtle depictions of class inequality and the impacts of industrialisation on all sectors of society.

When first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1876 On The Thames (or How Happy I Could Be With Either)  was hugely controversial, attracting comments about its questionable subject matter being ’thoroughly and wilfully vulgar’. It features a man and two unchaperoned young women on a champagne picnic on the Thames; no genteel Cambridge punt for these modern young urbanites, instead they embrace the vigour of industrial city life, belching smoke and all. The very self-satisfied looking male character is believed to be based on Tissot himself, while the women are based on Mrs Newton, Tissot’s lover, and her sister.