An exquisite Georgian portrait miniature, dating to circa 1790 and attributed to the British miniature painter George Engleheart (1750–1829), one of the prominent artists active in England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The work depicts a young lady with delicate facial features, greyish-brown eyes, and a serene and restrained expression. Her face is turned slightly to one side, while her gaze is directed towards the viewer. Her light-coloured, silver-grey hair is arranged in a high and soft hairstyle, with voluminous curls falling on either side of her face and along her neck, in accordance with women's fashion in England during the late 18th century. The lady is dressed in a light-coloured gown with a delicate neckline, adorned with soft folds and fine fabric details. The background, in shades of grey and pale blue, emphasises her facial features and soft flesh tones. The portrait was executed in watercolours on a natural substrate, using gradual colour transitions and delicate brushstrokes. The restrained colouring and soft treatment of the facial features reflect characteristics of the British tradition of miniature portrait painting during the Georgian period. The Frame and Hairwork on the Reverse The miniature is mounted in an oval gilt-metal pendant frame, with a decorative suspension ring at the top. The reverse of the frame contains an arrangement of brown plaited hair, arranged in a closely woven diagonal pattern and protected by a transparent covering. At the centre of the hairwork is a decorative monogram, composed of delicate metal wires and tiny seed pearls. The monogram appears to form the letter N. Hairwork of this kind was common in British portrait and memorial jewellery during the 18th and 19th centuries. The hair of a loved one was sometimes preserved on the reverse of miniatures, pendants, and brooches as a symbol of love, remembrance, and family affection. The combination of the lady's portrait on the front and the hairwork and monogram on the reverse gives the work a particularly personal and intimate character. About the Artist – George Engleheart (1750–1829) George Engleheart was one of the most important and prolific miniature painters in Britain during the Georgian period. He was born in Kew, England, and studied at the schools of the Royal Academy, influenced, among others, by the painters Joshua Reynolds and George Barret. Engleheart developed a successful career as a painter of miniature portraits of members of the aristocracy, high society, and the British royal family. In 1789, he was appointed miniature painter to King George III, and during his career he painted at least 25 portraits of the King, alongside additional portraits of members of the royal family. His commission registers document approximately 4,853 miniatures over a career spanning nearly forty years, a figure that demonstrates the extent of his activity and the considerable demand for his works. His works are characterised by meticulous treatment of facial features, expressive eyes, delicate colour transitions, and the ability to portray the character of the sitter in an exceptionally small format. His portraits of women from the 1780s and 1790s frequently feature high hairstyles, fair flesh tones, delicate clothing, and backgrounds in restrained colours. His works are now held in important museum collections, including the National Portrait Gallery in London and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in the United States. Artistic and Collecting Significance The miniature combines several characteristics of artistic and collecting interest: a portrait of a lady from the Georgian period, an attribution to an important British miniature painter, a gilt-metal pendant frame, and plaited hairwork with a seed-pearl monogram. The stylistic resemblance to Engleheart's works, together with the existence of documented miniatures by him featuring similar hairwork and monograms, gives the attribution scholarly interest. **Artist:** Attributed to George Engleheart (1750–1829) **Date:** Circa 1790 **Period:** Georgian **Country of Origin:** Britain **Genre:** Portrait Miniature of a Lady **Technique:** Watercolours on a natural substrate **Height:** Approximately 6.7 cm **Frame:** Oval gilt-metal pendant frame **Reverse:** Plaited hairwork with a seed-pearl monogram
Auction 02: Rare 18th–19th Century Portrait Miniatures & Mourning Jewellery — Melis Antiques & Art