Antique French Portrait Miniature, Beautiful Young Woman in Red Gown, Seed Pearl Tiara

Her face is only 3/4″ from chin to hairline, and the painting in total is only 2 3/8″ x 1 7/8″ oval. It is astounding to me that I can blow these miniature portraits up to fill your screen, and they remain full of life and detail. This beautiful young woman, c.1810-20 from her gown and dress, wears a superb Napoleonic era seed pearl tiara set back on her crown, bottle curls coming forward. Her choker necklace is also seed pearls, or perhaps diamonds set in silver, with matching earrings. Blue eyes and a slightly questioning look on her beautiful face, all of that in a space so small. One would think a miniaturist so talented would sign the work. It was unsigned, though. Napoleonic era and shortly afterward, a brilliant silk gown. The wood frame remains, though some of these old portraits are removed, we prefer to leave them in the original wood frames from the era, late 1700s through about 1830. I’ve had her for decades. You can see why.

Very good to excellent condition throughout. No flaws to note. She is still just perfect, well protected beneath the original slightly convex cover glass, in a brass mount and an undamaged original wooden frame. Measurements are noted on the photos.