WILLIAM WOOD (1769-1810)

Portrait miniature of a Lady, traditionally called Dorothy McKenzie, wearing a white dress with an upright collar, pearl necklace and shoulder band, white powdered hair, and a hoop earring; circa 1790

Circa 1790
5.7 cm (2 ¹/₄ inches)
Watercolour on ivory (license 6V3ZB21R)

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'McKenzie wears a singular hoop earring. Earrings were worn by women in this period, however, this style is somewhat unique, the colour indicating that it is made from a precious stone, rather than a simple silver or gold...'
Identified through a photographic record of this miniature when it was in a previous collection, Dorothy McKenzie’s life is not well-documented elsewhere. It is possible that William Wood, who recorded his paintings and commissions in notebooks[1], recorded the name of the sitter when the miniature was painted and that the previous owner had access to this information. The only published version of these notebooks, an appendix, Dr. G. C. Williamson’s The Miniature Collector, does not list McKenzie’s name, however.

There are some intriguing elements to the clothes and accessories that our sitter wears, one of those being the large, upright collar. This appears to be starched, rather than worn down, as was the usual fashion of the period. This bears some resemblance to the ‘vandyke’ collars commonly worn in the period, but does not have such deep scallops or edges as these usually had. Furthermore, McKenzie wears a singular hoop earring. Earrings were worn by women in this period, however, this style is somewhat unique, the colour indicating that it is made from a precious stone, rather than a simple silver or gold.

William Wood was born in Suffolk and entered the R.A. schools at the age of 16. In the years after this miniature was painted, his career would continue to develop, culminating in him becoming the president of the society of the Associated Artists in Watercolour (1808-9). His portraits of both men and women can be held as some of the finest examples of miniature painting of his period. And, if his talent in this form wasn’t enough, he was also known to enjoy landscape gardening, and favoured painting just watercolours later on in his career.


[1] Held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, MSL/1944/433.
Private collection ‘XL’;
With Claudia Hill, at Ellison Fine Art, 2011.

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Portrait miniature of a Lady, traditionally called Dorothy McKenzie, wearing a white dress with an upright collar, pearl necklace and shoulder band, white powdered hair, and a hoop earring; circa 1790

WILLIAM WOOD

(1769-1810)

Portrait miniature of a Lady, traditionally called Dorothy McKenzie, wearing a white dress with an upright collar, pearl necklace and shoulder band, white powdered hair, and a hoop earring; circa 1790

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The item added to cart contains materials from endangered or protected species. The Limner Company cannot arrange for the delivery of artworks containing ivory, tortoiseshell, or mother of pearl outside of the UK due to import restrictions. The buyer or designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale.

You are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of any items made from or containing certain endangered or protected species (such as ivory, tortoiseshell, or mother of pearl), while other countries will require a permit (e.g. a CITES licence). Such permits must be obtained from the relevant regulatory body in both the country of importation and exportation. If you intend to import such items into another country you should familiarise yourself with the relevant customs regulations and laws before purchase. Delays or refusal of import or export of such works shall not permit cancellation of a sale. It is your responsibility to satisfy any laws or regulations applying to the import or export of any work containing such protected species. For further information on the protected species listed please visit the CITES website:http://www.cites.org/. For further information about import and export regulations please visit:http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/imports-exports/cites/. On request, the Company can assist with or apply for a license on your behalf.

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shipping TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Worldwide shipping is included in all prices.

The Limner Company does not accept any responsibility for import duty, this is to be paid by the buyer.

See Section 7.5 in Terms & Conditions for information on export/import regulations. Please contact us to discuss shipping options. Some stock items contain materials from endangered species which are governed by CITES regulations and will require a permit to export outside of Great Britain. If a certificate of export is required then this will be the responsibility of and paid for by the buyer.

See Section 7.5 in Terms & Conditions for information on export/import regulations.

Please contact us to discuss shipping options.

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