Painting:The Neun Children

A.B. Laurens painting this painting, "The Neun Children," in 1910. Henry Philip Neun, a prominent Rochester businessman, commissioned it. The large canvas was glued to an upstairs hallway wall as decoration, but it was removed and rolled up just one year later. The painting no longer represented the entire family because a new child, Hiram, arrived. The family shown includes: daughter Dora, who sits on the bench at the left; Margaret to her left holds flowers; Harold stands on the steps; the older boy is John; the girl with the croquet mallet is Elsie; the girl with the hair bow is Harriet; and the girl on the far right is Eva. They are shown enjoying a game of croquet on the lawn of their South Avenue home, which has since been demolished. The donors of this painting are all grandchildren of Henry P. Neun.