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ID #SA1232475
FOR SALE
£900
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Charles Shirreff Miniature Portrait of a Gentleman
Wigs on the Green
for sale €1,053     $1,143
£900
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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Charles Shirreff Miniature Portrait of a Gentleman

18th century
Description

This steely-eyed gentleman has not shied away from making a fashion statement with his peruke which has been with toupee irons to create volume and frizz. He wears a grey coat with a fashionably deep collar and large buttons over a chestnut waistcoat and a frilled shirt front.

Original gold frame that is enclosed on the reverse.

The portrait dates to the 1780s when the artist Charles Shirreff was established at Covent Garden. The son of a wealthy Scottish wine merchant, Shirreff went deaf at the age of three and communicated by sign language. Accompanied by his father, he travelled to London in 1768 where he entered the Royal Academy Schools. Shirreff went on to become a successful miniaturist with a notable clientele and in 1778 obtained permission to travel to India. This ambition was not fulfilled though until 1797 by which time his father had died so he travelled alone. India suited him and his studio prospered but he decided to return to England in 1809 where he married and continued to paint and exhibit.

Framed Size: 62 x 50mm

Ivory Exemption Ref.: 6KJN71C9

Declaration

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

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1232475
Dealers Internal Reference
7747
Dealers Notes

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

Description
This steely-eyed gentleman has not shied away from making a fashion statement with his peruke which has been with toupee irons to create volume and frizz.
“
He wears a grey coat with a fashionably deep collar and large buttons over a chestnut waistcoat and a frilled shirt front.
Wigs on the Green
fig 1. An oval Georgian portrait miniature depicting a gentleman with a white powdered wig and grey coat, set within a gold frame with a top loop.
fig 1. Charles Shirreff Miniature Portrait of a Gentleman

Original gold frame that is enclosed on the reverse.

The portrait dates to the 1780s when the artist Charles Shirreff was established at Covent Garden. The son of a wealthy Scottish wine merchant, Shirreff went deaf at the age of three and communicated by sign language. Accompanied by his father, he travelled to London in 1768 where he entered the Royal Academy Schools. Shirreff went on to become a successful miniaturist with a notable clientele and in 1778 obtained permission to travel to India. This ambition was not fulfilled though until 1797 by which time his father had died so he travelled alone. India suited him and his studio prospered but he decided to return to England in 1809 where he married and continued to paint and exhibit.

Framed Size: 62 x 50mm

Ivory Exemption Ref.: 6KJN71C9

Date of Manufacture

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

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1232475
Dealers Internal Ref
7747
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 Georgian portrait miniature depicting a gentleman with a white powdered wig and grey coat, set within a gold frame with a top loop.
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Archive I An oval Georgian portrait miniature depicting a gentleman with a white powdered wig and grey coat, set within a gold frame with a top loop.

Charles Shirreff Miniature Portrait of a Gentleman

Archive II An oval Georgian portrait miniature depicting a gentleman with a white powdered wig and grey coat, set within a gold frame with a top loop. View II
Archive III An oval Georgian portrait miniature depicting a gentleman with a white powdered wig and grey coat, set within a gold frame with a top loop. View III
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Wigs on the Green

Wigs on the Green
Telephone 07962 257915
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York
Yorkshire
United Kingdom
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Verified Since May 2020
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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
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309
An oval Georgian portrait miniature depicting a gentleman with a white powdered wig and grey coat, set within a gold frame with a top loop.
Charles Shirreff Miniature Portrait of a Gentleman
Ref: SA1232475
An oval Georgian portrait miniature depicting a gentleman with a white powdered wig and grey coat, set within a gold frame with a top loop.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Archival Detail

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FAQs

A Georgian portrait miniature is a small-scale portrait painted during the reign of Kings George I through George IV, typically created between 1714 and 1830. These portable likenesses were executed in watercolour on ivory, vellum, or card and were worn as personal jewellery or carried in locket cases.

Eighteenth-century portrait miniatures were primarily painted using gouache and watercolour applied with fine sable brushes onto thin sheets of translucent ivory or vellum. These paintings were encased under protective convex glass lens fittings and set into gold, silver, or pinchbeck metal frames.

Authentic period miniatures exhibit characteristic stippling and hatching watercolour techniques visible under magnification, reflecting light through the natural translucency of the underlying ivory substrate. Frame construction, correct period attire, artist signatures, and natural age-related oxidisation of metal fittings also assist in verification.

Portrait miniatures can be styled within curated gallery walls alongside framed works on paper or displayed inside glass-fronted shadow boxes and glazed cabinet displays. Grouping several miniatures together creates an organised historical accent on shelving or mantelpieces.

Portrait miniatures must be kept away from direct sunlight, excess humidity, and extreme temperature fluctuations to prevent cracking of the ivory base and fading of watercolour pigments. Cleaning should be restricted to gently wiping the exterior glass enclosure with a dry, lint-free cloth without opening the sealed casing.
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