Wigs on the Green has dated this piece to the 18th Century.
Isabella was fortunate to be given painting lessons during the early 1780s from John Smart, the acclaimed miniaturist. Thereafter she added painted silhouettes to her repertoire. Her bust-length work on convex glass is particularly appealing and is amongst her most sought-after work.
This example of reverse painting on glass shows a lady with meticulously painted curls held in place with a spotted voile bandeau. She also wears a beaded necklace. The face is painted in pure black with the costume and hair detail achieved by a combination of finger-printing and scratching out with a pin. Backed with plaster, the silhouette is set in the original turned pearwood frame backed with the artist’s trade label no. 5 from her time at Fleet Street.
Framed Size: 137 x 125mm
Wigs on the Green has dated this piece to the 18th Century.
Small portraiture of character & historical interest
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Georgian Silhouette on Glass by Isabella Beetham
