Portrait miniature of a Lady wearing blue, white, and pink striped dress with blue and pink cape, holding a piece of white and gold spotted cloth draped over her left shoulder, her brown hair worn up and curled

RICHARD COSWAY, R.A (1742-1821)

Portrait miniature of a Lady wearing blue, white, and pink striped dress with blue and pink cape, holding a piece of white and gold spotted cloth draped over her left shoulder, her brown hair worn up and curled

circa 1765-1770
Watercolour on ivory (licence GBRJ2VGE)
Oval, 50 mm (2 in) high
Gilt metal frame with hairwork reverse; Original shagreen case

£5,500

This portrait is an exceptionally well-preserved and rare example of Richard Cosway’s early portraits, painted when he was in his twenties. Preserved by an original shagreen case (but now recently reframed in a locket) this is perhaps one of the best examples of eighteenth-century watercolour to survive. As the case remained closed, the colours were unaffected by light damage.

Comparable examples by date and composition include the portrait of Lady Sarah Bunbury at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (P.64-1935) and the Portrait of a Mother and Daughter, in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (2005.1629). All three portraits demonstrate a bold use of colour, perhaps more closely associated with that used in Cosway’s portraits of men from later in his career, but certainly not utilised later by the artist when he was painting women. The date is further supported by the fact that the same piece of cloth appears to be held by the woman in this portrait and Bunbury in the V&A example. The same cloth may be worn in a fourth miniature, also dated to 1770, previously sold by The Limner Company (see here).

As has been mentioned, Cosway is not usually associated with the style demonstrated here. Many of his later works show his sitters with powdered hair and women in white flounced dresses. Such fashions were not only distinctive of Cosway’s style but also fashionable in the later decades of the eighteenth century. In the late 1760s and 1770s, lightly patterned silks, like the striped silk used for the dress in this portrait, were popular in women’s clothing. The same can be said about the lower neckline, which was replaced by a fichu in the latter decades of the century, and only came back into fashion in the early nineteenth century, when neoclassicism became the favoured style.

Cosway may have already been in residence at his Piccadilly residence, on 4 Berkeley Street, when this portrait was painted. Living there was a conscious choice- other artists like Engleheart and Smart were based in Soho- and Cosway would remain in this area for much of his career. From this house, he had access to a much more established and higher-class clientele, and in the following decades he would host many of these people at salons, alongside his wife and fellow artist, Maria. He was made an academician at the Royal Academy in 1770, and therefore this date was somewhat of a turning point in his career, partially explaining the major differences in the group of miniatures which includes the present work, and those painted later.

Purchased in Launceston, Tasmania, 25 September 1995;
Private collection, UK.

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RICHARD COSWAY

(1742-1821)

Portrait miniature of a Lady wearing blue, white, and pink striped dress with blue and pink cape, holding a piece of white and gold spotted cloth draped over her left shoulder, her brown hair worn up and curled

shipping notice

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.