A fine Georgian portrait miniature of a young lady with an original panel of woven hair on the reverse. Housed in its original gilt frame with a finely decorated broad gilt border.
The sitter is shown directly facing the viewer. The effect is both arresting and intimate, lending the portrait a quiet presence that immediately drew me to it.
The sitter's pale complexion, direct expression and carefully dressed dark blonde hair are beautifully observed. Her coiffure is adorned with a pearl-set comb, while her white muslin dress and blue spencer trimmed with pale fur reflect the refined fashions of the late eighteenth century.
The reverse contains a  panel of her glorious hair which must have been so arresting in life. Its rich and shiney. Hairwork of this kind was among the most intimate forms of personal keepsake in the Georgian period, preserving a tangible connection with a loved one.
A beautifully preserved English School portrait miniature combining fine painting with one of the most intimate traditions of the Georgian period.
English School, circa 1785–1800. Height just over 2 inches 
Please see my video channel for more on this portrait.