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ID #SA1073079
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A Grand Tour Portrait Miniature
Sold by Wigs on the Green
sold SA1073079
Sorry, but this item has been sold.
Wigs on the Green

Wigs on the Green

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2020
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    Small portraiture of character & historical interest
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Id #SA1073079
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A Grand Tour Portrait Miniature

18th century
Sold 20 December 2024 · Wigs on the Green
This “Grand Tour Portrait Miniature” found a buyer.

It was listed by Wigs on the Green. Sold pieces stay on Sellingantiques as a record of what has passed through, and the next one is rarely far away.

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Blue Coat MiniatureCollectable Miniature ArtGold Portrait Miniature Ask the dealer for something similar
Description

This portrait was reputedly once owned by Sir James Bland Burges (1752-1824) and is traditionally believed to depict a gentleman of that family. Burges was an author, a poet, a barrister and MP. As a young man he embarked on a Grand Tour and had his portrait painted in oils by Pietro Labruzzi in Rome in 1774. Well-connected, Burges was a patron of Byron; he married three times.

Painted with swagger in the Grand Tour style, the portrait shows a confident and stylish gentleman in a powdered wig, grey collarless coat and flamboyant royal blue mantel. The portrait is set in a rose gold frame that is enclosed on the reverse. Anecdotally, this miniature was rescued from a house fire which gutted Beaufort Park, once home to Sir James Burges.

Framed Size: 53 x 47mm

Provenance: Sir James Bland Burgess

APHA Registration: ZGE1SMVW

Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated this Grand Tour Miniature to the 18th Century.

Physical Dimensions
Height
5cm (1.97")
Width
4.7cm (1.85")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1073079
Dealers Internal Reference
7267
Dealers Notes

All prices include UK postage. International shipping will be at cost.

Description
This portrait was reputedly once owned by Sir James Bland Burges (1752-1824) and is traditionally believed to depict a gentleman of that family. Burges was an author, a poet, a barrister and MP.
“
As a young man he embarked on a Grand Tour and had his portrait painted in oils by Pietro Labruzzi in Rome in 1774.
Wigs on the Green

Well-connected, Burges was a patron of Byron; he married three times.

fig 1. A circular hand-painted portrait miniature depicting an 18th-century gentleman wearing a powdered wig and blue coat, set within a polished gold frame with a suspension loop.
fig 1. A Grand Tour Portrait Miniature

Painted with swagger in the Grand Tour style, the portrait shows a confident and stylish gentleman in a powdered wig, grey collarless coat and flamboyant royal blue mantel. The portrait is set in a rose gold frame that is enclosed on the reverse. Anecdotally, this miniature was rescued from a house fire which gutted Beaufort Park, once home to Sir James Burges.

Framed Size: 53 x 47mm

Provenance: Sir James Bland Burgess

APHA Registration: ZGE1SMVW

Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated this Grand Tour Miniature to the 18th Century.

Height
5cm (1.97")
Width
4.7cm (1.85")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1073079
Dealers Internal Ref
7267
Wigs on the Green
Wigs on the Green
Sellingantiques verified Since May 2020

Small portraiture of character & historical interest

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Wigs on the Green Profile Page

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A circular hand-painted portrait miniature depicting an 18th-century gentleman wearing a powdered wig and blue coat, set within a polished gold frame with a suspension loop. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO
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Archive I A circular hand-painted portrait miniature depicting an 18th-century gentleman wearing a powdered wig and blue coat, set within a polished gold frame with a suspension loop. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO

A Grand Tour Portrait Miniature

Archive II A circular hand-painted portrait miniature depicting an 18th-century gentleman wearing a powdered wig and blue coat, set within a polished gold frame with a suspension loop. View II
Enlarged Archival View
Wigs on the Green

Wigs on the Green
Telephone 07962 257915
Location
York
Yorkshire
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/wigsonthegreen
Verified Since May 2020
Items For Sale 83
Items Sold 319
Wigs on the Green
Wigs on the Green
Verified Since May 2020
View Dealer Info
Location: York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/wigsonthegreen
Verified
May 2020
For Sale
83
Sold
319
A circular hand-painted portrait miniature depicting an 18th-century gentleman wearing a powdered wig and blue coat, set within a polished gold frame with a suspension loop.
A Grand Tour Portrait Miniature
Ref: SA1073079
A circular hand-painted portrait miniature depicting an 18th-century gentleman wearing a powdered wig and blue coat, set within a polished gold frame with a suspension loop.
Detail View 1
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectMiniature Paintings
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian
  • MaterialWatercolour, Ivory, Gold, Glass
  • ColourBlue
  • MotifsPowdered wig, Period costume, Profile bust, Circular frame
  • SizeH 5 cm (2 in) x W 4.7 cm (2 in)

FAQs

Preservation requires displaying or storing the piece away from direct sunlight and high humidity to prevent pigment fading and material warping, and avoiding direct contact with cleaning chemicals or moisture.

A portrait miniature can be effectively displayed as part of a curated gallery wall, mounted within a velvet-lined shadow box, or placed on a small easel upon a mantlepiece or bookshelf to add historical depth and intimate scale to a room.

Authentication involves examining the pigment application under magnification for stippling or hatching brushwork, checking the backing material for natural grain or cellular structure characteristic of antique ivory or vellum, and inspecting the frame construction and fastening methods for period-appropriate wear.

These artworks were traditionally painted in watercolour or gouache on thin slices of ivory, vellum, or card, and were commonly housed in gold, brass, or gilt metal frames, often featuring glass crystals and suspension loops to be worn as pendants or carried.

A Grand Tour portrait miniature is a small-scale painting, typically on ivory or vellum, acquired by wealthy young travellers as a souvenir during their cultural tour of continental Europe, particularly Italy, during the 18th and 19th centuries.
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