c.1845 Oil - The Reader In Plaid

Description

An exquisite mid 19th Century portrait in oil. The sitter is a rosy cheeked young girl with an uncertain stare. She seems to be caught in the awkward stage between childhood and womanhood, with her slightly self conscious posture adding an endearing element to the piece. She wears her hair up in swagged plaits that are tied closely to her face with red ribbons, and she wears a fine dress with an attractive green and deep wine red plaid pattern. The dress has crisp white cuffs and collar which add brightness to the composition. She is holding a book in one hand and stands in front of an expansive landscape with a distant mountain peak on the horizon. The landscape and her attire hint that she may be Scottish or of Scottish descent. The painting is unsigned and presented in its original mid 19th Century gilt frame. The frame is a very impressive example from this era, with swept corners, boasting elaborate acanthus and shell diaper cartouches with floral details stretching across the hatched cove. On canvas.

Condition

The condition is typical for a picture of this age including very minor discolouration. There are two canvas repairs to the reverse that have been fully restored at the front. There are some minor losses to paint at the lower right edge. There is some craquelure to the surface. There are some large losses to the frame's molding at three corners.

Size

74.5 x 62cm (29.3" x 24.4")
Framed Size: 96 x 82.5cm (37.8" x 32.5")