French Empire to perhaps c.1820s this wonderful little interior portrait is quite full of personality. Misstress of the house seated in red overstuffed chair next to a table upon which rests a wilting bouquet, and on her lap she holds a basket of fresh cherries, one held in her right hand. She fully engages her artist, who has not signed the work, as if he or she simply caught her attention during a moment of relaxation. I am unsure the meaning behind the wilting flowers and the cherries. So often these portraits have political statements or affiliations readable by icons. While we might reference cherries as virginity now, in her time that was more often represented by an intact or a broken vessel, jug, or perhaps a dead bird.
Very good to excellent condition throughout, for age and type. The painting is undamaged, held in its original locket-style frame. Both front and back have the original convex cover glass, and the interior of the cover glass covering this charming little painting has some dust. I gave a try and cannot open the locket-style frame in order to clean it. Seems stuck. I'll give it another effort later and if so, will have better photos of her. The specs you see are light reflecting on the tiny dust specs on the interior of the glass, they are not damage and are not on the painting. No signature, but also no warp, chips, flaking paint, no hairlines nor cracks. Gouache on wafer, and a panel of old silk in the reverse side. Typically, another portrait or perhaps a plaiting of hair would have been in that side. I'm certain the locket pulls apart, one side tucking into the other, as there is no hinge. It just does not wish to budge easily.
