Homer, however, wearing his fancy suit, does not appear to
be the obedient child listening to his mother’s every word.
We know from Homer’s adult recollections of these sittings that
Augusta was vainly attempting to entertain her son with the story
of a naval battle from the War of 1812. Sargent expressed the
boy’s impatience and nervous energy not only through his pose
but also through the structure of the composition. The child
slumps sideways in the ornate studio chair. And while his right
foot turns languidly inward, his left foot is braced against the
rung, ready to spring. The latent energy of his spread, bent
fingers matches the complexity of the swirling pattern of the
red carpet, and this unease is intensified by Homer’s pose,
which is at a slight angle to both the viewer and to his mother.
