This is one of our most favourite early 19th century portrait miniaturists! In this instance he has painted a most beautiful Regency lady....just study the fashion details that he has included!!!
This wonderful portrait miniature was painted in England during the Regency period, circa 1820. The painting features a young lady in profile view. She can be seen wearing an empire waisted blue dress with short puff sleeves. Around her neck she wears a gold guard chain. Her hair is piled into a bun, with loose curls around her temples and nape of her neck. We adore the tortoiseshell mantilla comb seen to the top of her bun.
The painting is unsigned but after retailing many of his portraits over the past 30 years, we can 100% guarantee that this is by the sought after miniature artist J. H. Gillespie (fl. 1810 – 1830). Gillespie worked in London, Edinburgh and Liverpool, leaving in 1815 for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Gillespie portraits have a unique style of painting. His sitter's facial details are very elegantly painted. He produced several different styles of miniature portrait, this example features the hatched brown background style to the lower ¼ of the painting.
The watercolour painting is on paper/card and is housed behind its original convex in its original papier mache frame. This is one of the most collectible types of papier mache frame. This example was manufactured by W. Hill of Birmingham and features the impressed mark verso above the crown. William Hill was one of the top manufactures of papier mache frames for miniatures and small pictures during the early 19th century.
If like us you adore Regency and Georgian portrait miniatures and profile silhouettes, please stop a while and browse our inventory as we always try to offer a discerning selection for the collector.
Measuring: Frame width 4 5/8 inch (12 cm) by height 5 7/8 inch (15 cm). Aperture width 2 ½ inch (6.5 cm) by height 3 1/8 inch (8 cm).
Condition: Unopened. A small pale blue flake of paint missing to her dress. Lightest of surface wear to the frame perfectly commensurate with age.