Circa 1700s, we have tiny paintings, portrait miniatures, which just defy imagination in the detail an artist was able to put into a tiny surface. This is one such. Sadly, most artists were just working people, not elevated in status, and rarely in that era do we have a signature. She's been in my personal collection, and I feel as if I know her, but whether from the many paintings I've filled my brain with in the past 40 years, or because she is so perfect in this tiny painting, I can't say. Guessing, Coutier of Louis XIV-XVI, and more likely c.1740-60 given her manner of dress and fashion of hair. The tiny frame, likely mounted in a larger velvet covered or wood frame at one time, is reduced to the oval mat. I have not tested, but based on the lack of years of tarnish on the front panel of her oval mat "frame", I feel certain it has at least a thick gauge gold foil mounted to the backing of brass. Convex cover glass is her old original.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, there are no flaws nor hairlines, no splits nor losses to the very thin wafer upon which the artist has plied his or her considerable skill in gouache paint. This wafer is affixes to a 2nd wafer, same material, yet you can still see through - so thin. Only 2.25" tall, in frame. All that detail in a face only 5/8", chin to hairline. Really quite stunning!
