This painting exemplifies the commissioned portraits of the wealthy upper class that brought Sargent his fame. It depicts Baronet Meyer, a British banker and diamond miner with connections to the Rothschild family and the De Beers group, along with his son Frank and daughter Elsie. By commissioning portraits from accomplished artists like Sargent, wealthy plutocrats like Meyer used their talent to showcase their wealth and social status in elite circles.

The opulent furniture and the family's attire are reminiscent of 18th-century British high society. The gilt sofa and Mrs. Meyer's heavy, iridescent rose silk gown exude the lavishness of Louis XIV's Palace of Versailles. Sargent intentionally surrounded Mrs. Meyer with luxurious objects to emphasize her status as a member of the London elite. Following the example of the most successful Old Master portraitists, such as Van Dyck, Sargent used flattering details to highlight the sitter's best features. Placed front and center, Mrs. Meyer dominates the composition, while her children are mostly hidden behind the couch, suggesting something about their familial dynamic. Mrs. Meyer's priority is clearly to highlight her own glamour and opulence, rather than to draw attention to her children.