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ID #SA1158016
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Isabella Beetham, Silhouette of a Child
Sold by Wigs on the Green
sold SA1158016
Sorry, but this item has been sold.
Wigs on the Green

Wigs on the Green

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2020
Browse dealers 83 items
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    Small portraiture of character & historical interest
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Id #SA1158016
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Isabella Beetham, Silhouette of a Child

18th century
Sold 8 August 2025 · Wigs on the Green
This “Isabella Beetham, Silhouette of a Child” 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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Antique Convex Glass FrameGeorgian Framed ArtGeorgian Painted Profile Ask the dealer for something similar
Description

This winsome silhouette, typical of Mrs Beetham’s meticulous work, shows a little boy in a shirt with a wide frill-edged collar and buttoned jacket. His curls tumble over his shoulders as was the fashion for boys during the Georgian era.

Dating to around 1780-1790, the profile is reverse painted on convex glass and backed with plaster within a handsome gold and black verre églomisé border. It is housed in the original turned pearwood frame. There is a small area of delamination to the paintwork on the face. The verre églomisé border was likely painted by Mrs Beetham’s husband, Edward, as he had travelled to Murano around this time to study glass painting.

Isabella Beetham (1754-1825) began cutting silhouettes out of necessity to support her young family and was fortunate to be taught painting during the early 1780s by John Smart, the acclaimed miniaturist. Her husband meantime was a dabbler: he tried acting on stage, he designed a theatre safety curtain, he took in lodgers, he built and sold new-fangled washing machines, he offered insurance cover and so on.

Framed Size: 141 x 124mm

Provenance: G. W. Bain ; Christie Collection

Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated this Georgian Silhouette Portrait to the 18th Century.

Physical Dimensions
Height
14cm (5.51")
Width
12cm (4.72")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1158016
Dealers Internal Reference
C534
Dealers Notes

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

Description
This winsome silhouette, typical of Mrs Beetham’s meticulous work, shows a little boy in a shirt with a wide frill-edged collar and buttoned jacket. His curls tumble over his shoulders as was the fashion for boys during the Georgian era.
“
Dating to around 1780-1790, the profile is reverse painted on convex glass and backed with plaster within a handsome gold and black verre églomisé border.
Wigs on the Green

It is housed in the original turned pearwood frame. There is a small area of delamination to the paintwork on the face. The verre églomisé border was likely painted by Mrs Beetham’s husband, Edward, as he had travelled to Murano around this time to study glass painting.

fig 1. An antique oval silhouette portrait of a child in profile, encased in a dark wooden frame with convex glass and a gilded inner border.
fig 1. Isabella Beetham, Silhouette of a Child

Isabella Beetham (1754-1825) began cutting silhouettes out of necessity to support her young family and was fortunate to be taught painting during the early 1780s by John Smart, the acclaimed miniaturist. Her husband meantime was a dabbler: he tried acting on stage, he designed a theatre safety curtain, he took in lodgers, he built and sold new-fangled washing machines, he offered insurance cover and so on.

Framed Size: 141 x 124mm

Provenance: G. W. Bain ; Christie Collection

Date of Manufacture

Wigs on the Green has dated this Georgian Silhouette Portrait to the 18th Century.

Height
14cm (5.51")
Width
12cm (4.72")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1158016
Dealers Internal Ref
C534
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 antique oval silhouette portrait of a child in profile, encased in a dark wooden frame with convex glass and a gilded inner border. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO
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Archive I An antique oval silhouette portrait of a child in profile, encased in a dark wooden frame with convex glass and a gilded inner border. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO

Isabella Beetham, Silhouette of a Child

Archive II An antique oval silhouette portrait of a child in profile, encased in a dark wooden frame with convex glass and a gilded inner border. View II
Archive III An antique oval silhouette portrait of a child in profile, encased in a dark wooden frame with convex glass and a gilded inner border. View III
Archive IV An antique oval silhouette portrait of a child in profile, encased in a dark wooden frame with convex glass and a gilded inner border. View IV
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
An antique oval silhouette portrait of a child in profile, encased in a dark wooden frame with convex glass and a gilded inner border.
Isabella Beetham, Silhouette of a Child
Ref: SA1158016
An antique oval silhouette portrait of a child in profile, encased in a dark wooden frame with convex glass and a gilded inner border.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectFramed Art
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian
  • MaterialWood, Glass, Paper
  • ColourBlack
  • MotifsProfile portrait, Hand-painted details, Convex glass, Gilded border
  • SizeH 14 cm (6 in) x W 12 cm (5 in)

FAQs

A Georgian silhouette portrait is a profile likeness cut from black paper or painted on card or glass, popular during the 18th and early 19th centuries before the advent of photography.

Traditional materials include fine black card, reverse-painted glass, plaster, ivory, and wood or papier-mache for the surrounding convex frames.

Authentic pieces often feature period paper with correct watermarks, hand-painted detailing such as highlights in gold or bronze, convex glass, and sealed backing papers characteristic of framing techniques from the 1700s and 1800s.

These small-scale works of art suit gallery walls, narrow wall spaces, or mantelpieces, often grouped with other historic framed items to create a curated, academic aesthetic.

Preserve silhouettes by keeping them away from direct sunlight to prevent the fading of paper and pigments, and maintain stable indoor humidity levels to protect the antique framing materials.
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