An exquisite and finely executed English portrait miniature, dating to circa 1810, by the British miniature painter Thomas Hazlehurst (1740–1821), one of the artists active in England during the late Georgian period and the early Regency era. The work depicts a beautiful young woman with delicate facial features and a direct, serene gaze. Her dark brown eyes are delicately accentuated, her cheeks are flushed with a natural rosy hue, and her dark hair is arranged in soft curls framing her forehead and face, in accordance with the fashion of the period. She is dressed in a simple yet elegant white Empire-style gown, with a high waistline characteristic of women's fashion during the reign of Napoleon I. The light-coloured gown creates a subtle contrast with the dark blue-grey background, highlighting her face and complexion. The portrait is characterised by delicate brushwork, soft colour transitions, and meticulous attention to the details of the face, hair, and clothing. The particular attention given to the expression of the eyes and the blush of the cheeks lends the figure a lifelike and intimate presence. The miniature was executed in watercolours on a natural substrate and preserved in a red leather carrying case with a glass cover, giving it the character of a precious personal object intended for preservation and protection. The work is signed with the initials T.H., in neatly formed Roman capitals, to the left of the sitter's arm, at approximately the seven o'clock position within the composition. This form of signature is characteristic of Hazlehurst's works and constitutes an important detail in identifying the work and attributing it to the artist. About the Artist – Thomas Hazlehurst (1740–1821)** Thomas Hazlehurst was an English miniature and portrait painter, primarily associated with the city of Liverpool, where he worked for many years and established his reputation as a painter of miniature portraits. He belonged to a generation of British artists who worked during a period when miniature portraits were particularly sought after among the affluent classes. Works of this kind served not only as artistic expressions but also as family keepsakes, personal gifts, and symbols of love, marriage, and family affection. Hazlehurst specialised in small-scale portrait paintings, which required a high degree of technical skill, precise control of watercolours, and the ability to capture the character and facial features of the sitter within an extremely limited space. His works are characterised by delicate treatment of the face, soft flesh tones, expressive eyes, and meticulous depiction of hairstyles and clothing. His style reflects the English tradition of miniature painting of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in which emphasis was placed on a likeness to reality alongside a restrained idealisation of the sitter. The artist worked and exhibited his paintings in Liverpool, which was an important commercial and cultural centre at the time. The city attracted merchants, wealthy individuals, and affluent families, who constituted a significant clientele for portrait painters. One of the characteristics associated with Hazlehurst's works is the use of the initials T.H., sometimes appearing in small, neatly formed Roman capitals, as also described in the present miniature. His works are recognised in research and literature devoted to British portrait miniatures. Works attributed to him are documented in various collections, including, according to the original description, the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the private collection of the renowned miniature scholar Daphne Foskett. **Daphne Foskett and Her Importance to the Study of Miniatures** Daphne Foskett (1911–1998) was a British scholar and historian who specialised in portrait miniatures and is regarded as one of the leading figures in the study of this field during the 20th century. Her books, including *British Portrait Miniatures: A History* and *A Dictionary of British Miniature Painters*, became fundamental reference works for identifying artists, researching signatures, and dating British miniatures. The fact that works by Hazlehurst were included, according to the description provided, in Foskett's private collection highlights the scholarly and collecting interest in his work. **The Artistic and Collecting Significance of the Miniature** The present miniature is an excellent representation of the English portrait painting tradition of the early 19th century, a period during which miniatures became highly sought-after personal objects among members of high society and the affluent middle class. The combination of the sitter's delicate facial features, the white Empire-style gown, the hairstyle characteristic of the period, and the blue-grey background creates a harmonious composition of high aesthetic quality. The work possesses several characteristics that contribute to its collecting interest: the signature with the initials T.H., its attribution to a recognised miniature painter, its dating to the Regency period, and its preservation in a red leather case with a glass cover. A case of this kind adds historical interest, as it reflects the manner in which miniature portraits were preserved and carried as personal and sentimental objects. **Artist:** Thomas Hazlehurst (1740–1821) **Date:** Circa 1810 **Period:** Late Georgian / Regency **Country of Origin:** England **Genre:** Half-length Portrait Miniature **Technique:** Watercolours on a natural substrate **Dimensions:** Approximately 7.6 × 9.5 cm **Signature:** T.H., to the left of the sitter's arm, at approximately the seven o'clock position **Case:** Red leather case with a glass cover **Provenance:** Private Collection
Auction 02: Rare 18th–19th Century Portrait Miniatures & Mourning Jewellery — Melis Antiques & Art