Georgian Paintings

English Antique Lover's eye portrait miniature brooch. circa 1840-50 The charming oval-shaped portrait miniature is mounted in a gilt metal repoussé frame with a pin back with a gilt leaf design on each side. The portrait is of a woman's right eye and brow showing ringlets of hair hanging down over her ear. Dimensions: 1-inch wide x 5/8 inch high x 1/4 inch deep from pin Reference: EYE MINIATURES Eye miniatures or Lovers' eyes were Georgian miniatures, normally watercolour depicting the eye or eyes of a spouse, loved one or child. These were usually commissioned for sentimental reasons and were often worn as bracelets, brooches, pendants or rings with richly decorated frames, serving the same emotional need as lockets hiding portraits or locks of hair. This fad started in the late 1700s and miniaturists such as Richard Cosway...

Portrait miniature silhouette profile of Mrs. Graydon, Attributed to John Thomason. Late 18th Century. A portrait on paper of Mrs. Graydon. Provenance: Mrs. Graydon: Sotheby'...

An exceptional quality framed watercolorr titled 'The Castle of Ferara' by renowned British artist Samuel Prout (1783-1852). Samuel Prout was a member of the Royal Watercolour Societ...

Antique portrait of a handsome senior military officer wearing a red jacket with gold braid over his right shoulder and gold embroidery on the jacket front, with a black gilt embroid...

The picture retains its original gilt frame. The image is rendered in a mixture of silkwork and hand painted decoration and depicts the injured traveler on the roadside being aided by the Samaritan while the Levite and the Priest are seen in the distance. This parable is told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he travelled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.' Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?" This work is vastly bigger than 19th century silkwork pictures...

The well painted man's eye is within a period broach of silver with a turquoise and pearl surround. Provenance: Private American Collection, with D S Lavender Antiques Ltd. In the 1780's, when George, Prince of Wales, heir to the throne of England began seeing a much older, previously married and Catholic woman, Maria Fitzherbert, the King and Parliament were not ready for that kind of lady in the Royal Family. So the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert eloped to Brighton and were married in the name of Guelph, the surname of George's German ancestors. Mrs. Fitzherbert was quite dismayed when George told her that wearing his miniature would be impossible because of exposure. She was so upset that he asked the Royal Miniaturist, Richard Cosway...