Here's the great story behind it. Apparently, a painting of an ancestor had been hanging in that spot for quite some time and my mom had been to an art gallery exhibition and came home raving about this great artist, a Mr. Beard, who was known for his satirical paintings.
She'd brought home a brochure of the artist's work to show to my father and complained, "Why don't we have any good art like this?"
Daddy replied to her, "We do, there's the painting in the attic that you won't let me hang and it was painted by the same artist."
Mom didn't believe him and a bet was made. If the painting in the attic was by the same artist, Daddy would be allowed to hang it in the dining room where the ancestor's painting hung. My mother, adamant that it was not by the same artist, took the bet.
Needless to say Daddy was, as usual, correct and won the bet. And the painting was hung. It remained a prominent feature in their home until their deaths. The painting had significance because it was my father's father's painting and since they were both doctors, they especially liked the subject matter.
I think everyone in the family, as well as visitors (then and since) envisioned themselves to be one of the characters in the painting and were able to designate other family members as individuals in the painting too.
This painting, of what we called "our ancestors," hung prominently over the dining room fireplace in our home on Willow Street when I was a kid, even though it had previously been relegated to the attic for many years.
