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ID #SA1107514
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Samuel Shelley, an Ethereal Miniature Portrait
Sold by Wigs on the Green
sold SA1107514
Sorry, but this item has been sold.
Wigs on the Green

Wigs on the Green

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2020
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    Small portraiture of character & historical interest
Id #SA1107514
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Samuel Shelley, an Ethereal Miniature Portrait

18th century
Sold 20 November 2024 · Wigs on the Green
This “Samuel Shelley, an Ethereal Miniature Portrait” 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.

Description

Working towards the end of the eighteenth century, Samuel Shelley was a resourceful and innovative artist in a variety of mediums. On occasion, as evidenced by this miniature, he turned his ivory base sideways to create an unconventionally shaped and thus more impactful portrait.

Sensitively painted, the subject is a young lady reclining with a half-smile on billowing clouds of white muslin. The piece has an air of intimacy that suggests she may have been a personal friend of the artist’s.

In fine condition, the portrait is set in a quality frame, the reverse glazed to show neatly plaited blonde hair.

Initially self-taught, Shelley entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1774. He was a prolific artist and exhibited regularly between 1774 and 1804. An influential figure in the art world, he was instrumental in the formation of The Society of Painters in Water Colours in 1805. His death, just three years later, came after a short illness and was announced in the London papers without any fanfare.

Framed Size: 85 x 68mm

Provenance: UK Private Collection

APHA Registration: HC29W6XS

Date of Manufacture

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

Physical Dimensions
Height
8.5cm (3.35")
Width
6.8cm (2.68")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1107514
Dealers Internal Reference
9139JH
Dealers Notes

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

Description
Working towards the end of the eighteenth century, Samuel Shelley was a resourceful and innovative artist in a variety of mediums.
“
On occasion, as evidenced by this miniature, he turned his ivory base sideways to create an unconventionally shaped and thus more impactful portrait.
Wigs on the Green
fig 1. An oval watercolour miniature portrait of a figure with curly hair, set within a simple silver-toned metal frame with a suspension loop at the top.
fig 1. Samuel Shelley, an Ethereal Miniature Portrait

Sensitively painted, the subject is a young lady reclining with a half-smile on billowing clouds of white muslin. The piece has an air of intimacy that suggests she may have been a personal friend of the artist’s.

In fine condition, the portrait is set in a quality frame, the reverse glazed to show neatly plaited blonde hair.

Initially self-taught, Shelley entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1774. He was a prolific artist and exhibited regularly between 1774 and 1804. An influential figure in the art world, he was instrumental in the formation of The Society of Painters in Water Colours in 1805. His death, just three years later, came after a short illness and was announced in the London papers without any fanfare.

Framed Size: 85 x 68mm

Provenance: UK Private Collection

APHA Registration: HC29W6XS

Date of Manufacture

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

Height
8.5cm (3.35")
Width
6.8cm (2.68")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1107514
Dealers Internal Ref
9139JH
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 miniature portrait of a figure with curly hair, set within a simple silver-toned metal frame with a suspension loop at the top. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO
1 / 2
Archive I An oval watercolour miniature portrait of a figure with curly hair, set within a simple silver-toned metal frame with a suspension loop at the top. SOLD6+ MONTHS AGO

Samuel Shelley, an Ethereal Miniature Portrait

Archive II An oval watercolour miniature portrait of a figure with curly hair, set within a simple silver-toned metal frame with a suspension loop at the top. View II
Enlarged Archival View
Telephone 07962 257915
Location
York
Yorkshire
United Kingdom
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
Verified
May 2020
For Sale
83
Sold
319
An oval watercolour miniature portrait of a figure with curly hair, set within a simple silver-toned metal frame with a suspension loop at the top.
Samuel Shelley, an Ethereal Miniature Portrait
Ref: SA1107514
An oval watercolour miniature portrait of a figure with curly hair, set within a simple silver-toned metal frame with a suspension loop at the top.
Detail View 1
Archival Detail
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Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectMiniature Painting
  • Period18th century
  • StyleGeorgian
  • MaterialWatercolour on ivory or vellum, glass, silver-plated metal
  • ColourMulticolour
  • MotifsOval format, Delicate stippling technique, Suspension loop, Profile portrait
  • SizeH 8.5 cm (3 in) x W 6.8 cm (3 in)

Portrait miniatures evolved from illuminated manuscripts during the 16th century, initially serving as intimate tokens of affection and status among the aristocracy before becoming popular with the broader middle classes by the Georgian and Victorian eras.

Artists typically painted with watercolour or gouache on thin slices of ivory, vellum, or prepared card, enclosing the delicate works in protective metal frames often backed with mother-of-pearl, glass, or woven hair.

Authentic pieces exhibit hand-painted stippling and brushwork under magnification rather than dot-matrix printing, feature period-correct metalwork and backings, and show natural signs of age such as slight pigment fading or oxidisation on the protective glass.

These small-scale works function best when grouped in a gallery wall arrangement alongside other framed curiosities or displayed singly on a narrow mantelpiece or bookshelf using a small easel to draw the eye to their intricate detail.

To prevent pigment fading and material degradation, miniatures must be kept away from direct sunlight and high humidity, avoiding any moisture or chemical cleaning agents on the exposed painted surfaces.
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