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ID #SA1238034
FOR SALE
£2,750
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A Fine 19th Century Portrait of a Beauty in Red
For sale by The English Interior
for sale €3,218     $3,493
£2,750
The English Interior

The English Interior

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jul 2023
Browse dealers 74 items
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    Specialist dealer in 17th century to the 20th century fine art, furniture and decorative antiques for your home.
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A Fine 19th Century Portrait of a Beauty in Red

1900 - 1920
Description

A FINE 19TH CENTURY PORTRAIT OF A BEAUTY IN RED BY CHARLES SKINNER (1841-1932)

Fine and rare oil on canvas signed lower left by the celebrated American Artist Charles (Chas) Skinner.

Skinner has masterfully used an impasto and painterly oil technique, to complete this work which is very characteristic of late 19th-century academic and impressionistic portraiture.

He chooses loose, expressive, and visible brushstrokes over highly blended transitions. to create a lively, textured surface. This heavy paint application (impasto) is heavily concentrated on the white lace ruffled collar, the gold trim of the hat, and the decorative flowers, giving those areas a physical, three-dimensional quality.

The skin tones of the sitters face are rendered with smoother, tighter brushwork to define her features, contrasting sharply with the rapidly blocked-in, atmospheric dark background.

He also makes sublime use of a chiaroscuro effect, casting the right side of the woman's face and body into soft shadow while brightly illuminating her forehead, cheek, nose, and collar. High-intensity highlights reflect sharply off the white lace of her collar and the top brim of her hat, drawing immediate visual focus to her upward-gazing expression.

Born in 1841, Skinner began working as a book illustrator and poster designer in New York at age nineteen. He joined the American Bank Note Co. in 1864, later moved to the

Skinner engraved several iconic United States postage stamps, including the 1-cent ("Columbus in Sight of Land") and the 50-cent ("Recall of Columbus") values in the famous 1893 Columbian Exposition commemorative series.

He also engraved America's first Special Delivery stamp in 1885, modeling the messenger boy after his nephew.

Skinner also engraved portraits including the very first of Sarah Ellen Whitman. Sarah Helen Whitman (1803–1878) was an American poet, essayist, and transcendentalist from Providence, Rhode Island, best remembered for her brief romantic engagement to Edgar Allan Poe in 1848.

This is a rare surviving example of his work in oil.

Physical Dimensions
Height
44cm (17.32")
Width
34cm (13.39")
Depth
4cm (1.57")
Declaration

The English Interior has dated this 19th Century Portrait Painting to the Edwardian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1238034
Description
A FINE 19TH CENTURY PORTRAIT OF A BEAUTY IN RED BY CHARLES SKINNER (1841-1932)
“
Fine and rare oil on canvas signed lower left by the celebrated American Artist Charles (Chas) Skinner.
The English Interior

Skinner has masterfully used an impasto and painterly oil technique, to complete this work which is very characteristic of late 19th-century academic and impressionistic portraiture.

fig 1. A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book.
fig 1. A Fine 19th Century Portrait of a Beauty in Red

He chooses loose, expressive, and visible brushstrokes over highly blended transitions. to create a lively, textured surface. This heavy paint application (impasto) is heavily concentrated on the white lace ruffled collar, the gold trim of the hat, and the decorative flowers, giving those areas a physical, three-dimensional quality.

fig 2. A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book.
fig 2. A Fine 19th Century Portrait of a Beauty in Red

The skin tones of the sitters face are rendered with smoother, tighter brushwork to define her features, contrasting sharply with the rapidly blocked-in, atmospheric dark background.

He also makes sublime use of a chiaroscuro effect, casting the right side of the woman's face and body into soft shadow while brightly illuminating her forehead, cheek, nose, and collar. High-intensity highlights reflect sharply off the white lace of her collar and the top brim of her hat, drawing immediate visual focus to her upward-gazing expression.

fig 3. A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book.
fig 3. A Fine 19th Century Portrait of a Beauty in Red

Born in 1841, Skinner began working as a book illustrator and poster designer in New York at age nineteen. He joined the American Bank Note Co. in 1864, later moved to the

Skinner engraved several iconic United States postage stamps, including the 1-cent ("Columbus in Sight of Land") and the 50-cent ("Recall of Columbus") values in the famous 1893 Columbian Exposition commemorative series.

fig 4. A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book.
fig 4. A Fine 19th Century Portrait of a Beauty in Red

He also engraved America's first Special Delivery stamp in 1885, modeling the messenger boy after his nephew.

Skinner also engraved portraits including the very first of Sarah Ellen Whitman. Sarah Helen Whitman (1803–1878) was an American poet, essayist, and transcendentalist from Providence, Rhode Island, best remembered for her brief romantic engagement to Edgar Allan Poe in 1848.

This is a rare surviving example of his work in oil.

Height
44cm (17.32")
Width
34cm (13.39")
Depth
4cm (1.57")
Date of Manufacture

The English Interior has dated this 19th Century Portrait Painting to the Edwardian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1238034
The English Interior
The English Interior
Sellingantiques verified Since Jul 2023

Specialist dealer in 17th century to the 20th century fine art, furniture and decorative antiques for your home.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the The English Interior Profile Page

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A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book.
1 / 7
Archive I A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book.

A Fine 19th Century Portrait of a Beauty in Red

Archive II A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book. View II
Archive III A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book. View III
Archive IV A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book. View IV
Archive V A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book. View V
Archive VI A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book. View VI
Archive VII A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book. View VII
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The English Interior

The English Interior
Telephone 07860 363 882
Location
The Duke of Somersets House
Kirkgate
Tadcaster
North Yorkshire
LS24 9AD
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/theenglishinterior
Verified Since Jul 2023
Items For Sale 74
Items Sold 65
The English Interior
The English Interior
Verified Since Jul 2023
View Dealer Info
Location: The Duke of Somersets House, Kirkgate, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, LS24 9AD , United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/theenglishinterior
Verified
Jul 2023
For Sale
74
Sold
65
A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book.
A FINE 19TH CENTURY PORTRAIT OF A BEAUTY IN RED
Ref: SA1238034
A 19th-century oil portrait depicting a young woman wearing a crimson hat and dress while holding an open book.
Detail View 1
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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectFine Art
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialOil, Canvas
  • ColourCrimson Red
  • MotifsLace collar, Crimson bonnet, Impasto brushwork, Open book
  • SizeH 44 cm (17 in) x W 34 cm (13 in) x D 4 cm (2 in)

This is a fine art oil on canvas portrait from the Edwardian period, painted by Charles Skinner. The piece depicts a young woman with brown hair, wearing a crimson red dress, a matching crimson bonnet with gold trim and white decorative flowers, and a ruffled white lace collar while holding an open book. The composition utilizes thick impasto brushwork, a visible chiaroscuro effect with a dark background, and contrasting smooth skin tones. The canvas measures 44 cm high, 34 cm wide, and 4 cm deep. This piece is suited for display above the mantel in a traditional living room or study within a home.

FAQs

Nineteenth-century portraiture encompasses various artistic movements, transitioning from formal academic styles to more expressive techniques such as Impressionism. Works from this period focus on character representation, costume detail, and dramatic lighting.

Artists during this era typically painted with tube-bound oil pigments on stretched linen or cotton canvas, as well as wood panels. Natural varnish layers were applied to protect the paint film and heighten colour intensity.

Authentic period paintings often exhibit natural craquelure across the paint layer, historical canvas stretchers or wooden keys, and age-appropriate oxidisation or yellowing on the reverse side.

A 19th-century portrait can serve as a focal point above a mantelpiece or sideboard, contrasting effectively with contemporary minimalist furniture to create an eclectic aesthetic.

Position the artwork away from direct sunlight, extreme temperature fluctuations, and high humidity. Dust the surface lightly with a dry brush, avoiding water or chemical solvents.
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