British School, circa 1810–1820 – A Fine Regency Mourning Silhouette Portrait Miniature of a Gentleman, with Woven Hairwork on the Reverse, Formerly in the Possession of Lord Monro of Langholm An elegant and historically interesting English silhouette portrait miniature, dating to circa 1810–1820, depicting a gentleman of the Regency period in profile, facing left. The sitter is represented as a sharply defined black silhouette against a pale background, with particular attention given to the contours of his forehead, nose, lips, chin, hairstyle, and the high collar of his coat. The miniature reflects the British tradition of silhouette portraiture, which flourished during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when such portraits were treasured as personal and family keepsakes and occasionally as objects of mourning and remembrance. The portrait is mounted in an ornate oval gold-coloured pendant frame, richly decorated with scrolling acanthus foliage and elaborate floral motifs. A finely detailed, rope-twist suspension ring surmounts the frame. Mourning Hairwork on the Reverse A particularly remarkable feature of the miniature is its reverse, which contains an intricate arrangement of brown human hair beneath a full-sized oval glass panel. The hair has been carefully arranged in a diagonal criss-cross pattern, forming a delicate geometric design. Such hairwork was an important feature of British sentimental and mourning jewellery during the 18th and 19th centuries. Locks of hair belonging to loved ones were frequently preserved in pendants, rings, brooches, and portrait miniatures as enduring symbols of affection, remembrance, and personal attachment. Although often associated with mourning, hairwork jewellery was also exchanged as a token of love or friendship during the lifetime of the person commemorated. The combination of the silhouette portrait on the front and the woven hairwork on the reverse gives this miniature a particularly intimate and evocative character. Provenance – Lord Monro of Langholm According to its accompanying historical description, the miniature was formerly in the possession of **Hector Seymour Peter Monro, Baron Monro of Langholm (1922–2006)**, a distinguished Scottish politician, former Royal Air Force officer, and member of the British House of Lords. Born in Edinburgh in 1922, Hector Monro belonged to a Scottish family with a long tradition of military and public service. During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Air Force, before pursuing a career in farming and politics. In 1964, he was elected Member of Parliament for Dumfriesshire, subsequently representing Dumfries, and remained in the House of Commons until 1997. Throughout his political career, he held several government appointments, including ministerial responsibilities relating to Scotland and sport. In 1997, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Monro of Langholm and became a member of the House of Lords. Distinguished Family Connections – Ewart and Brisbane Of particular historical interest are Lord Monro's ancestral connections with prominent Scottish and British military families. Through his mother, Marion Frances Ewart, he was a grandson of Lieutenant-General Sir John Spencer Ewart, a distinguished British Army officer. Lord Monro was also a direct descendant of **General Sir Thomas Brisbane (1773–1860)**, the Scottish soldier, astronomer, and Governor of New South Wales, after whom the Australian city of Brisbane was named. These ancestral connections add historical interest to the miniature's reported provenance, linking its former owner to a family with a distinguished tradition of military service, scientific achievement, and public life. The original description also refers to the Macdougall family, although that particular genealogical connection has not been independently verified. Research Note – Possible Resemblance to the Duke of Wellington A comparative examination of the silhouette reveals certain similarities between the sitter’s profile and early portraits of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769–1852), particularly in the prominent, elongated nose, the contour of the forehead, and the general outline of the face. The hairstyle and attire are broadly consistent with British fashion of the early 19th century, the period during which Wellington established his public and military prominence. Artistic and Collecting Significance The present miniature combines several desirable characteristics of early 19th-century British portraiture and sentimental jewellery: a finely executed Regency silhouette, an elaborately ornamented pendant frame, and an unusual arrangement of woven human hair preserved beneath glass on the reverse. Its reported association with Lord Monro of Langholm adds a further dimension of historical interest, particularly in view of his family's connections with the Ewart and Brisbane lineages. The miniature represents a distinctive example of the British tradition of personal remembrance, in which portraiture, jewellery, and preserved hair were combined to create objects of enduring emotional significance. **Artist:** British School **Date:** Circa 1810–1820 **Period:** Late Georgian / Regency **Country of Origin:** England, attributed **Style:** Silhouette Portrait Miniature / Sentimental or Mourning Jewellery **Technique:** Silhouette painting on a natural substrate. **Dimensions:** Approximately 7.9 × 6.6 cm, excluding the suspension loop **Frame:** Ornate oval gold-coloured metal frame with scrolling acanthus decoration. **Reverse:** Full-sized glass panel containing brown woven hairwork in a diagonal criss-cross arrangement **Provenance:** Reportedly formerly in the possession of Hector Seymour Peter Monro, Baron Monro of Langholm (1922–2006)
Auction 02: Rare 18th–19th Century Portrait Miniatures & Mourning Jewellery — Melis Antiques & Art