Be still my heart! One of my favorites, this is a mid-1700s portrait miniature or miniature painting, Louis XV era, a young and beautiful Courtier playing with her pet bird, tethered on a ribbon so it can fly. The delight in her face seems a momentary glimpse of her joy, and not a simple thing for an artist to capture so well. There is a signature to the upper left, on that blue drapery, but I cannot make it out. The manner is so "Boucher", one almost hopes to see that signature but I don't think it is. The French Romantic Era is anchored as an art movement by Boucher, Fragonard, a few others whose work is still so admired in the Louvre and other museums of the world. Surely this artist was of the French School of those artists. In color, life, feel and motion, it is certainly placed well and now nearly 270 or so years old. Treasured! It is housed in the original silk velvet case, etui, and protected by the oblong and convex special cover glass. I've shown her out of her protective case and frame, and can tell you that the wafer upon which she is painted (in gouache) has been adhered to a card backing. It's unusual to find one of these very old ones that does not have hairlines from shrinkage of the material, but this one does not. Don't mistake her ribbon tether for a hairline. It is the string to which her pet bird is attached so it can fly but not be lost. Do you recognize her? Let me know.
Very good to excellent condition throughout, as visible in our photos. Case is superb, not much loss to the silk nap. Painting is that of a Master miniaturist, or artist of the French Romantic era, and has no hairlines nor cracks. Interesting convex oblong cover glass is a work of artistry on its own. And the theme? So charming, isn't it! Don't miss her. She won't last with me long, I fear, now that I'm showing her for sale.
