As I've said, there are 2 types of portrait miniatures: 1. a living person who sat for their portrait in real life, and 2. those done "après" famous works of art in the museums, fueled by the souvenir hungry Grand Tour travelers. This one is of the 2nd variety, and is after a painting that was popular and on display in the Louvre, early 1800s when this beautiful miniature was painted. It is a lovely rendition, diaphanous fabric and well-framed to tempt the Grand Tour traveler as a souvenir. Larger in size, too, the painting is nearly 4" in diameter, and frame nearly 7" square. Wonderful for wall display, and superb, too, for Bru and other antique doll's houses display. Miniature art.
Very good to excellent condition throughout, no damage nor warp to the thin natural wafer upon which a capable artist who has signed only "Wells" or perhaps "Walls" at about the 4 o'clock position beside her voluminous sleeve. Pretty subject, done well, and framed very nicely, too. I would date this rendition early to mid-Victorian, c.1830-50s.
