A soft, pretty little portrait of a young woman with a bird on her finger. Her powdered hair is pinned up and scattered with small red and blue flowers, and a wide blue silk ribbon is tied at her throat. She wears a coral-orange gown with white lace at the neckline and a slate-blue wrap draped over her arm. Beside her sits an open wicker birdcage with a flowering vine trailing through the bars, and a small yellow bird perches on her raised hand. The whole thing has that dreamy, powdery softness that makes these old miniatures so appealing.
Signed in small script at the right edge. Set under convex glass in a pierced brass oval bezel, mounted on dark brown velvet, in a glossy burl wood frame with gilt scrollwork at each corner. Handsome on a shelf, a bookcase, or as the anchor of a small gallery wall.
Dimensions: 9" H x 8" W
Medium: Hand-painted portrait miniature, oil on ivory, under convex glass, in a burl wood frame
Age: Estimated late 19th to mid-20th century
Origin: Likely European
Signature/mark: Signed in small script on the right side of the miniature; the signature is very fine and not clearly legible in hand or in photos
Disclosures: Sold as-is in good antique condition, framed; normal age wear only — light rubbing to the gilt corner mounts, minor marks to the burl finish, and a small amount of dust and fiber on the velvet mat (see photos)
