Miss Mary Lewin, later Mrs Ralph Jackson, in silver-bordered white silk dress, green jewelled and pearl pendant at corsage, fur-bordered pink silk surcoat, the left sleeve slashed to reveal white, pearls in her upswept and plaited auburn hair

Details

JOHN SMART (BRITISH, 1742/43-1811)
Miss Mary Lewin, later Mrs Ralph Jackson, in silver-bordered white silk dress, green jewelled and pearl pendant at corsage, fur-bordered pink silk surcoat, the left sleeve slashed to reveal white, pearls in her upswept and plaited auburn hair
signed with initials and dated 'J S. 1776' (lower left)
oval, 2 1/8 in. (54 mm.) high, gilt-metal mount within silver-gilt frame with blue and white enamel border, the reverse with blue glass

Provenance

By direct descent from the sitter.

Literature

D. Foskett, John Smart, the Man and his Miniatures, London, 1964, p. 70.

Exhibited

London, Royal Academy, Exhibition of British Art c. 1000-1860, 1934, no. 1072/1068 (lent by Mrs Ward Jackson, Aberkenfig).

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

Mary (1756-1781), daughter of Captain Richard Lewin of Greenwich married Ralph Jackson of Normanby Hall, North Yorkshire on 14 November 1776 and had issue. She died of consumption.
An extract from her husband's diary from October 1776 reads 'Wednesday the Sixth; I went to London with Miss Lewin, (set her down at Mr Smart's, a Limner in Berner's Street, Oxford Street, who is taking her Picture in Miniature, to be sent to her Bro. Thomas at Ft. St. George in the East India'. An entry for November reads 'Monday the Eleventh; Capt. Jackson & myself went to Mr. Downe's in Mount Street Grosvenor Square to look at some Chaise Horses from thence I went in pursuit of Miss Lewin to Mr. Smart's, Miss Huntridge's, & found her at Mr. Pearson's in Tavistock Street;'.

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