Wigs on the Green has dated this Victorian Silhouette Conversation Piece to the 19th Century.
The father has luxuriant whiskers and wears a bowler hat and knotted neck-tie, his over-full jacket pocket bulging out of shape. In his hand he holds a letter or bill which is possibly headed with the artist’s name ‘Frith’. The folds of the mother’s dress are particularly well depicted as too are the little girls’ dresses and pretty curls.
The background is painted in sepia watercolour with swags and a castle landscape. A remnant of a hand-written label reverse possibly names three of the children as Bridget (more Irish perhaps?), William and George. The family name appears to Watt—-.
The background card has some age-browning and spotting to the lower half. It is unsigned (apart from possibly on the father’s letter) but the composition is undeniably that of the Royal Victoria Gallery. The silhouette is presented in a good quality bird’s eye maple veneer frame.
The Royal Victoria Gallery was a family-run business. Brothers Frederick and Henry Frith were both cutters of silhouettes whilst their father, John, having been a portrait artist, probably painted their colour profiles and their sister, Letitia, did much of the bronzing and gilding. Advertising as ‘PAPRYOTOMISTS to His Late as well as to her present Most Gracious Majesty’, they toured extensively and produced highly finished work. When the introduction of photography threatened their livelihood, the brothers embraced the new technology and opened a Photography Studio before emigrating to Australia.
Framed Size: 443 x 510mm
Wigs on the Green has dated this Victorian Silhouette Conversation Piece to the 19th Century.
Small portraiture of character & historical interest
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Wigs on the Green Profile Page
Royal Victoria Gallery Silhouette Conversation Piece
