Exquisite & Luminous French Miniature Hand Painted Portrait “Lady with Flowers” on Ivory, Oval Wood Matt & Gilded Frame, Late 19th Century

Late 19th Century French miniature portrait of a well dressed lady in fine clothes, with a bowl of flowers, that is looking directly at the viewer and seems to be offering a flower. Delicately hand-painted with intricate very detailed brush work, especially in her gown and hair. Her skin appears to glow, a luminosity technique of using the ivory as a tonal colour. It is a splendid miniature scale, composition and palette, evoking a romantic or poetic mood. The unsigned portrait lies under glass, in excellent condition, with a spectacular oval wood turned matt and gilded wood rectangular frame .

Late 19th-century artists painting miniature portraits on ivory, relied on meticulous techniques to compensate for the challenging surface and achieve a high degree of detail. These methods, evolved from earlier traditions, were necessary to build up color and create delicate, lifelike effects with watercolors and gouache on the ivory.

Miniature portraits, originally crafted to be worn or carried, these objects are intimately connected to their function as tokens of affection, mementos, and even reliquaries. The personal and intimate nature of miniature portraits resonated deeply with both the artists who crafted them and the collectors who cherished them.

Dimensions: Oval image : height 3.25″ x width 2.5″   Frame: height 9″ x width 7.25″ depth 1.1″

** Please note- as this contains Ivory this can only be shipped within Canada.**