The Three Robinson Sisters

This painting was swiftly done by George Berthon in the spring of 1846. A present for their mother, he had a firm deadline. It must have been a lucrative commission.

Emily Merry Robinson, 25, is the oldest; she is on the right, in lacy pink. Gazing calmly at the artist from the centre is Louisa Matilda, just turned 21 and marrying the wealthy young George Allan, son of a banker and future mayor of Toronto. In the dark dress is Augusta Ann, 22, who had married one of Bishop Strachan’s sons two years earlier. (A younger, fourth sister was left out of the picture – imagine the tears!) In his autobiography many years later, Henry recalled the arrangements:

There was at that time but one moderately good artist in Upper Canada, a Frenchman by birth, M. Berthon. We, that is Allan, James Strachan and I, conceived the idea of presenting Mrs. Robinson with the portraits of the three married daughters on the day when two of them were to leave their father’s roof. Berthon was only too happy to lend himself to the plot, and so we contrived it that the necessary sittings were given the few weeks preceding our marriage, without, as I believe, the faintest rumour reaching the parents.

The pastel of Emily on the front page, normally sheltered by an 18″ x 15″ oval matte (p.4), is attributed to Berthon and remains in a private collection. She’s about 32 years of age in this image and will soon follow Henry to England. The Three Robinson Sisters is oil on canvas (44″ x 33″) and reproduced by permission of the Art Gallery of Ontario; gift of J. Beverley Robinson.