The Sassoons

John Singer Sargent, Lady Sassoon, 1907, private collection.

The Sassoons sets out to reveal the story of a remarkable Jewish family, highlighting their pioneering role in trade, art collecting, architectural patronage, and civic engagement from the early 19th century through World War II. It follows four generations from Iraq to India, China, and England, featuring a rich selection of works collected by family members over time.

Over 120 works—paintings, Chinese art, illuminated manuscripts, and Judaica—amassed by Sassoon family members and borrowed from numerous private and public collections will be on view. Highlights include Hebrew manuscripts from as early as the 12th century, many lavishly decorated; Chinese art and ivory carvings; rare Jewish ceremonial art; and paintings by Thomas Gainsborough and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, as well as 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.