What is a silhouette portrait?

A silhouette is a profile likeness cut from dark paper or painted directly onto card, wood, or glass. They gained immense popularity before the widespread adoption of photography. Artists used specialised pantographs or worked entirely freehand with scissors to capture sitters instantly. The best examples display remarkable likeness through the contour of the nose and hairline alone.

Are these oil paintings on canvas?

Many works utilise oil on canvas, but artists also painted on prepared wood panels and board. The choice of substrate often depends on the scale of the piece and the period. Smaller domestic scenes frequently appeared on wooden panels, while larger landscapes required sturdy woven canvas. Each material ages differently, with panels prone to splitting and canvases subject to slackening.

How do I date a framed artwork?

Examine the construction of the frame, the backing materials, and any handwritten inscriptions left on the reverse. Old timber joinery and hand-blown glass panes offer strong clues to the decade of manufacture. Stylistic cues within the clothing and hair of portrait sitters also help narrow down the production period. Comparing the artist's recorded working dates provides the most reliable chronological anchor.