A young lady, in green-lined pink satin wrap dress with fine French needle lace at the neckline, white satin mantle, pearls in her upswept and plaited light brown hair

Details

JOHN SMART (BRITISH, 1742/43-1811)
A young lady, in green-lined pink satin wrap dress with fine French needle lace at the neckline, white satin mantle, pearls in her upswept and plaited light brown hair
signed with initials and dated 'J. S. 1769.' (lower left)
on ivory
oval, 1¾ in. (45 mm.) high, gilt-metal frame

Provenance

Sothebys, London, 5 July 1976, lot 41 (then inside the double-lid of a box).
Christie's, London, 29 November 1977, lot 76.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Sale room notice

Please note that this frame is gold and not gilt-metal as stated in the catalogue.

Lot Essay

Twelve years later, in 1781, Smart painted a replica of the present miniature but updated the hairdress of the sitter by adding two curls (Sotheby's, London, 18 December 1986, lot 65, sold £4,600; then Sotheby's, London, 10 March 1994, lot 23, unsold at £7,000-9,000 and again Sotheby's, London, 10 November 1994, lot 23, sold £5,405).

More from Important Portrait Miniatures and Gold Boxes

View All