This delightful and rather unusual silhouette features a woman with a distinguishing striped turban cap. She wears a typical dress of the Regency period with a ruffed collar. The silhouette is inscribed on the back. The text is difficult to read but suggests that the image is of Sarah Newton ne Whiffew. The Acorn Frame to the front shows a little wear to the ebony commensurate with age. To the back there is more wear as shown in the photo.
This is an original work on paper and is both a good example and in good condition.
The earliest professional silhouettes were portrait miniaturists. As the popularity of silhouettes increased, itinerant silhouettists travelled through Victorian Britain. As photography was expensive and largely inaccessible, silhouettes were a popular way to remember loved ones.
Silhouettes were named after Etienne Silhouette (1709-1767), a French Minister of Finance, who enjoyed cutting paper shadow portraits.
Turbans were popular head covering in the Regency period and reflected the growing interest in the Ottoman Empire. Some turbans were pre made and others were traditionally wound around the head.
Antique Number: SA1116046
Dateline of this antique is 19th Century
Height is 14cm (5.5inches)
Width is 9cm (3.5inches)
Depth is 0cm (0.0inches)
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