What characterises Victorian child portraiture?

Victorian child portraiture often features realistic depictions of children rendered in oil on canvas, captured in soft lighting with naturalistic or interior backdrops. These works reflected period views on childhood, presenting subjects in formal clothing such as smocked dresses or suits.

What materials were traditionally used in 19th-century oil portraits?

Artisans employed oil pigments suspended in linseed oil applied to stretched linen or cotton canvas. Frames were typically constructed from carved timber or moulded plaster layered with gesso and gold leaf gilding.

How can you identify authentic 19th-century portrait paintings?

Authentic period oil paintings display natural age signs including fine craquelure across the paint surface, canvas stretcher wear, and age-related darkening or oxidisation on the reverse timber frame and canvas backing.

How do you style an antique oil portrait in a modern interior?

Positioning a gilt-framed portrait above a sideboard, fireplace mantel, or integrated into a modern gallery wall provides historical contrast against neutral contemporary decor and dark painted walls.

How should an antique framed oil painting be preserved?

Keep oil paintings away from direct sunlight, heating sources, and areas of high humidity to prevent cracking or warping. Light dusting with a soft, dry brush is recommended, leaving varnish restoration to professional art conservators.

for sale €1,112 $1,207

£950

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Antique Portrait of Child

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Victorian Child Oil Painting

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Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Painting

Name: Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Painting
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1108985
Price: 950 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Mansion House Antiques & Fine Art

Description

Portrait Oil Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3

I am delighted to offer for sale this charming oil portrait on canvas laid to board.

The portrait depicts an half length oil portrait of Kathleen Winifred Molesworth aged 3 years, according to the information hand written on the back, although the artist is unknown, may possibly have been painted by a close family member.

She is wearing a cream dress with smocking and puffed sleaves and has shoulder length fair hair with a fringe.

Kathleen Winifred Molesworth was born in Salem, Madras, India, on 15th June, 1896. the daughter of Surgeon Captain, later Colonel, William Molesworth and his wife Winifred Anne nee Weekes.

Her father was in the Indian Medical Service and achieved the letters MB, BS, MRCS, LRCP, CIE & CBE after his name.

The family are listed in Burke''s Peerage. In common with many children of parents resident in India, Kathleen was sent to Britain to boarding school at Bayham House in Folkestone, where she was in 1911 at the age of 14.

On 18th October 1919 in Simla, Bengal, she married Alfred Alyson Fennal Michin, who was a Conservator in the Indian Forest Service.

She travelled between the UK and India frequently, as her eldest son Patrick Molesworth Minchin was born on 27th August 1920 in Madras, her younger son Henry Desmond Penkivel Minchin was born in Sussex in 1923.

Patrick was a Captain in the Indian Army in WWII, but lived until 2nd July 2007 and is buried in Edrom Church, Duns, Berwickshire, along with his mother, near to the family home Cruicksfield, which is now a B listed Scottish mansion with farm attached.

Henry Desmond Penkivel, known as Desmond, was a Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion King''s Own Scottish Borders and was killed in action in WWII at Le Haut Du Bosq, Normandy on 1st July 1944.

He is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery. He and the 16 men who died with him in this action, are commemorated in a memorial window and plaque in Christ Church, Duns, presumably commissioned by his parents.

He is also listed on a memorial plaque in Bonkyl Kirk in the parish of Bonkyl & Preston.

Kathleen outlived her husband, who died in 1973 aged 85, but by 1976, was living at Cruicksfield, Duns, the family seat, where she died on 17th March 1998 and was buried at Edrom Church, along with her father and eldest son. (Her eldest son had two sons, one of whom died before the age of 1 and the other died at 51 without issue, so Kathleen''s line died out, so pehaps this is why her portrait came to the market.)

FRAME

The painting has been newly framed in a 3 3/8'' gilt frame, which suits it very well.

It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

FRAMED MEASUREMENTS :

Height 28 Inches ( 71.1cm )

Width 24 Inches ( 61 cm )

MEDIUM :

Oils on Canvas / Laid to Board

CONDITION:

Very good. The surface is clean and there is no damage. The frame is new.

DELIVERY:

UK Next Day Tracked £50 / EU £120 / USA £150

TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES: 07765 856171

Quote Our Ref: 0766

Physical Dimensions

Height

71cm (27.95")

Width

61cm (24.02")

Depth

4cm (1.57")

Declaration

Mansion House Antiques & Fine Art has dated this Victorian Child Oil Portrait to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1108985

Dealers Internal Reference

0766

Dealers Notes

Payments are accepted by Bank Transfer & by Debit / Credit Cards Via the BUY NOW Payment Link Tab shown below each items description.

PAY-PAL Account Holders are welcome. CHEQUES Drawn from UK banks.

Description

Portrait Oil Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3

I am delighted to offer for sale this charming oil portrait on canvas laid to board.

The portrait depicts an half length oil portrait of Kathleen Winifred Molesworth aged 3 years, according to the information hand written on the back, although the artist is unknown, may possibly have been painted by a close family member.

“

She is wearing a cream dress with smocking and puffed sleaves and has shoulder length fair hair with a fringe.

Mansion House Antiques & Fine Art

fig 1. A nineteenth-century oil portrait of a young girl with short blonde hair in a white smocked dress, presented inside a moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 1. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Painting

Kathleen Winifred Molesworth was born in Salem, Madras, India, on 15th June, 1896. the daughter of Surgeon Captain, later Colonel, William Molesworth and his wife Winifred Anne nee Weekes.

Her father was in the Indian Medical Service and achieved the letters MB, BS, MRCS, LRCP, CIE & CBE after his name.

fig 2. A nineteenth-century oil portrait of a young girl with short blonde hair in a white smocked dress, presented inside a moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 2. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Painting

The family are listed in Burke''s Peerage. In common with many children of parents resident in India, Kathleen was sent to Britain to boarding school at Bayham House in Folkestone, where she was in 1911 at the age of 14.

fig 3. A nineteenth-century oil portrait of a young girl with short blonde hair in a white smocked dress, presented inside a moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 3. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Painting

On 18th October 1919 in Simla, Bengal, she married Alfred Alyson Fennal Michin, who was a Conservator in the Indian Forest Service.

She travelled between the UK and India frequently, as her eldest son Patrick Molesworth Minchin was born on 27th August 1920 in Madras, her younger son Henry Desmond Penkivel Minchin was born in Sussex in 1923.

fig 4. A nineteenth-century oil portrait of a young girl with short blonde hair in a white smocked dress, presented inside a moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 4. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Painting

Patrick was a Captain in the Indian Army in WWII, but lived until 2nd July 2007 and is buried in Edrom Church, Duns, Berwickshire, along with his mother, near to the family home Cruicksfield, which is now a B listed Scottish mansion with farm attached.

fig 5. A nineteenth-century oil portrait of a young girl with short blonde hair in a white smocked dress, presented inside a moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 5. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Painting

Henry Desmond Penkivel, known as Desmond, was a Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion King''s Own Scottish Borders and was killed in action in WWII at Le Haut Du Bosq, Normandy on 1st July 1944.

He is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery. He and the 16 men who died with him in this action, are commemorated in a memorial window and plaque in Christ Church, Duns, presumably commissioned by his parents.

fig 6. A nineteenth-century oil portrait of a young girl with short blonde hair in a white smocked dress, presented inside a moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 6. Kathleen Winifred Molesworth Aged 3 Born Salem Madras India 1896 19th Oil Portrait Painting

He is also listed on a memorial plaque in Bonkyl Kirk in the parish of Bonkyl & Preston.

Kathleen outlived her husband, who died in 1973 aged 85, but by 1976, was living at Cruicksfield, Duns, the family seat, where she died on 17th March 1998 and was buried at Edrom Church, along with her father and eldest son. (Her eldest son had two sons, one of whom died before the age of 1 and the other died at 51 without issue, so Kathleen''s line died out, so pehaps this is why her portrait came to the market.)