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ID #SA1156990
FOR SALE
£260
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Miniature Watercolour Portrait of a Leading Comic Actress
Wigs on the Green
for sale €304     $330
£260
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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Miniature Watercolour Portrait of a Leading Comic Actress

19th century
Description

This delightful early 19th century miniature watercolour shows Elizabeth Brunton as a young lady about to embark on a celebrated theatrical career. It is after a painting by Rose Emma Drummond that was published and widely circulated as an engraving in 1817.

Elizabeth Brunton was born into a theatrical family. Her grandfather was a theatre manager having initially trod the boards at Covent Garden Theatre whilst both her parents, as well as several aunts and uncles, had successful acting careers. Elizabeth, known fondly as ‘Lollie’, made her acting debut in King’s Lynn playing Desdemona opposite Charles Kemble’s Othello in 1815. Her London debut was in 1817 in Shakespeare’s popular comedy As You Like It. Thereafter she specialised in comic roles.

Aged 26, Elizabeth married fellow comic actor Frederick Yates who in 1827 purchased a share in the Adelphi Theatre where “Mrs Yates was extremely popular as the heroine of domestic dramas in which her acting was unrivalled”. In 1830 he took over the management of the Caledonian Theatre in Edinburgh and it is there that their only son was born. Mr Yates died suddenly in 1842 having just alighted from a train at Euston Station. Still in her forties, Elizabeth honoured her husband’s legacy by taking on the management of the Adelphi Theatre but, finding it too onerous, soon returned to the stage. She retired from acting in 1849 and died in 1860, aged 63, after a long illness. Curiously her only son did not follow in the family tradition but became a journalist though he must have inherited a love for the theatre as he was to die following a seizure taken whilst watching a play!

Adroitly painted on laid paper around 1820, this little watercolour is in fine condition having been preserved within the pages of an album. The artist is regrettably unknown. It is presented in a period decorative pressed brass frame and is labelled with the sitter’s name reverse.

Framed Size: 132 x 111mm

Physical Dimensions
Height
13cm (5.12")
Width
11cm (4.33")
Declaration

Wigs on the Green has dated this Antique Portrait Miniature Watercolour to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1156990
Dealers Internal Reference
6353
Dealers Notes

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

Description
This delightful early 19th century miniature watercolour shows Elizabeth Brunton as a young lady about to embark on a celebrated theatrical career.
“
It is after a painting by Rose Emma Drummond that was published and widely circulated as an engraving in 1817.
Wigs on the Green
fig 1. An oval watercolour portrait miniature of a lady with curled hair and a pearl necklace, set within a rectangular gilt frame featuring a beaded border and hanging ring.
fig 1. Miniature Watercolour Portrait of a Leading Comic Actress

Elizabeth Brunton was born into a theatrical family. Her grandfather was a theatre manager having initially trod the boards at Covent Garden Theatre whilst both her parents, as well as several aunts and uncles, had successful acting careers. Elizabeth, known fondly as ‘Lollie’, made her acting debut in King’s Lynn playing Desdemona opposite Charles Kemble’s Othello in 1815. Her London debut was in 1817 in Shakespeare’s popular comedy As You Like It. Thereafter she specialised in comic roles.

fig 2. An oval watercolour portrait miniature of a lady with curled hair and a pearl necklace, set within a rectangular gilt frame featuring a beaded border and hanging ring.
fig 2. Miniature Watercolour Portrait of a Leading Comic Actress

Aged 26, Elizabeth married fellow comic actor Frederick Yates who in 1827 purchased a share in the Adelphi Theatre where “Mrs Yates was extremely popular as the heroine of domestic dramas in which her acting was unrivalled”. In 1830 he took over the management of the Caledonian Theatre in Edinburgh and it is there that their only son was born. Mr Yates died suddenly in 1842 having just alighted from a train at Euston Station. Still in her forties, Elizabeth honoured her husband’s legacy by taking on the management of the Adelphi Theatre but, finding it too onerous, soon returned to the stage. She retired from acting in 1849 and died in 1860, aged 63, after a long illness. Curiously her only son did not follow in the family tradition but became a journalist though he must have inherited a love for the theatre as he was to die following a seizure taken whilst watching a play!

Adroitly painted on laid paper around 1820, this little watercolour is in fine condition having been preserved within the pages of an album. The artist is regrettably unknown. It is presented in a period decorative pressed brass frame and is labelled with the sitter’s name reverse.

Framed Size: 132 x 111mm

Height
13cm (5.12")
Width
11cm (4.33")
Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated this Antique Portrait Miniature Watercolour to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1156990
Dealers Internal Ref
6353
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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An oval watercolour portrait miniature of a lady with curled hair and a pearl necklace, set within a rectangular gilt frame featuring a beaded border and hanging ring.
1 / 3
Archive I An oval watercolour portrait miniature of a lady with curled hair and a pearl necklace, set within a rectangular gilt frame featuring a beaded border and hanging ring.

Miniature Watercolour Portrait of a Leading Comic Actress

Archive II An oval watercolour portrait miniature of a lady with curled hair and a pearl necklace, set within a rectangular gilt frame featuring a beaded border and hanging ring. View II
Archive III An oval watercolour portrait miniature of a lady with curled hair and a pearl necklace, set within a rectangular gilt frame featuring a beaded border and hanging ring. View III
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 85
Items Sold 309
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
85
Sold
309
An oval watercolour portrait miniature of a lady with curled hair and a pearl necklace, set within a rectangular gilt frame featuring a beaded border and hanging ring.
Miniature Watercolour Portrait of a Leading Comic Actress
Ref: SA1156990
An oval watercolour portrait miniature of a lady with curled hair and a pearl necklace, set within a rectangular gilt frame featuring a beaded border and hanging ring.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Archival Detail

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FAQs

A portrait miniature is a small, highly detailed painting, typically depicting a person, popular from the 16th to the mid-19th century. During the Georgian and Regency eras, these portraits were executed in watercolour on ivory, vellum, or paper and presented in portable metal or wooden frames.

Artists generally used watercolour or gouache applied with extremely fine brushes onto thin sheets of ivory, vellum, or heavy cardstock. Frames were typically crafted from pressed brass, gilded copper, or cast metal with glass fronts to protect the delicate medium.

Authentic pieces display fine hatch marks or stippling brushwork visible under magnification, era-appropriate fashion details such as high-waisted gowns or empire silhouettes, and period-correct backing or framing construction with integrated suspension rings.

Portrait miniatures function exceptionally well as part of a curated gallery wall or styled on a narrow wall space. They can also be displayed leaning inside a bookcase or on a mantelpiece to add historic interest to contemporary decor.

Keep the artwork away from direct sunlight, high humidity, and heat sources to prevent fading of the watercolour pigments and warping of the substrate. Ensure the frame remains sealed to protect the surface from dust and atmospheric pollutants.
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