{"product_id":"french-portrait-miniature-of-an-aristocratic-lady-dated-1785-on-reverse-in-gold-oval-frame","title":"French Portrait Miniature of an Aristocratic Lady, Dated 1785 on Reverse, in Gold Oval Frame","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003eItem: F\u003cbr\u003eAdditional Description\u003cbr\u003eA finely painted French portrait miniature of an elegant aristocratic lady, shown bust-length in fashionable late-18th-century dress and presented within a beautifully detailed oval gilt-metal frame.\u003cbr\u003eThe sitter wears a pale blue gown edged with delicate white ruffles and lace, her powdered hair arranged high in the fashionable style of the 1780s with softly curled lengths falling over one shoulder. The portrait is rendered with particularly delicate facial modeling, finely articulated hair, and subtle blue, gray, and ivory tones against a softly shaded background.\u003cbr\u003eThe miniature appears to be painted in watercolor or gouache on a thin ivory-type support, as was customary for portrait miniatures of this period, though the support has not been removed from the frame for definitive examination.\u003cbr\u003eThe reverse retains an old handwritten collector or dealer label beginning “France 1785”, followed by additional notations that are only partially legible. This old label is an important part of the piece’s provenance and supports a late-18th-century French attribution, though the specific sitter identification recorded beneath it cannot be confidently established from the surviving handwriting alone.\u003cbr\u003eThe portrait is housed beneath glass in an elegant gilt-metal oval frame with finely tooled beaded and foliate borders and a suspension loop at the top, allowing it to be displayed either as a miniature wall portrait or cabinet object.\u003cbr\u003eEra\u003cbr\u003eCirca 1785, as inscribed on reverse\u003cbr\u003eLate Louis XVI period\u003cbr\u003eOrigin\u003cbr\u003eFrance\u003cbr\u003eArtist\u003cbr\u003eFrench School\u003cbr\u003eArtist unknown\u003cbr\u003eMedium\u003cbr\u003eWatercolor \/ gouache miniature, apparently on ivory or ivory-type support\u003cbr\u003eStyle\u003cbr\u003eLouis XVI \/ late 18th-century portrait miniature\u003cbr\u003eHistory\u003cbr\u003ePortrait miniatures reached a remarkable level of refinement in 18th-century France, where they served as highly personal objects exchanged between family members, friends, and lovers. Unlike full-scale painted portraits, miniatures could be held in the hand, worn, carried while traveling, or displayed in intimate domestic settings.\u003cbr\u003eFrench miniaturists frequently worked in watercolor on very thin sheets of ivory, whose warm translucent surface allowed exceptionally delicate modeling of flesh tones and fabric. By the 1780s, powdered hair, pale silks, lace-trimmed necklines, and softly modeled gray backgrounds were characteristic features of fashionable portraiture.\u003cbr\u003eThe date 1785 recorded on the reverse is entirely consistent with the sitter’s coiffure and clothing.\u003cbr\u003eMarks \/ Inscriptions\u003cbr\u003eOld handwritten label to reverse beginning:\u003cbr\u003e“France 1785”\u003cbr\u003eAdditional handwritten wording appears beneath, but is partially difficult to decipher from the photographs and has therefore not been used as a firm sitter attribution.\u003cbr\u003eA later price notation also appears to be present on the label.\u003cbr\u003eMaterials \u003cbr\u003e- Watercolor \/ gouache\u003cbr\u003e- Ivory or ivory-type miniature support, untested\u003cbr\u003e- Gilt metal frame\u003cbr\u003e- Glass\u003cbr\u003e- Paper backing and old handwritten label\u003cbr\u003eDimensions\u003cbr\u003ePlease add:\u003cbr\u003eOverall: ___” H × ___” W\u003cbr\u003ePortrait sight: ___” H × ___” W\u003cbr\u003eCondition\u003cbr\u003eGood antique condition considering the age and delicate nature of the work. The portrait remains highly legible with attractive color and fine facial detail. There is expected age-related surface wear, minor discoloration, and possible small abrasions or losses visible upon close inspection.\u003cbr\u003eThe gilt-metal frame shows expected rubbing, oxidation, darkening, and minor finish loss. The reverse retains an old backing and handwritten label with age-related wear.\u003cbr\u003eThe miniature has not been removed from the frame for examination.\u003cbr\u003ePlease review all photographs closely as they form part of the condition description.\u003cbr\u003eProvenance\u003cbr\u003eFrance.\u003cbr\u003eOld reverse label dated 1785.\u003cbr\u003eDisclaimers\u003cbr\u003eThe specific identity of the sitter has not been independently established and is therefore not stated as fact.\u003cbr\u003eThe support appears visually consistent with ivory, but it has not been scientifically tested or removed from the frame. If confirmed as elephant ivory, sale and shipment may be subject to applicable federal, state, international, and CITES restrictions.\u003cbr\u003eThe circa-1785 dating is supported by the reverse inscription and stylistic characteristics but should be regarded as an attribution rather than a documented date of execution.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"For the Louvre of Antiques LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50714118717695,"sku":null,"price":460.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0725\/8780\/4927\/files\/80B10CED-9F8C-47FD-912F-F7B25B9E3F44.png?v=1792421361","url":"https:\/\/forthelouvreofantiques.com\/fr\/products\/french-portrait-miniature-of-an-aristocratic-lady-dated-1785-on-reverse-in-gold-oval-frame","provider":"For the Louvre of Antiques LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}