An Unknown Officer
Sophia Smith (fl.1740-1804)
Category
Art / Miniatures
Date
1762
Materials
Watercolour on ivory, gold and garnet
Measurements
40 mm (H)33 mm (W)
Order this imageCollection
Polesden Lacey, Surrey
NT 1246522
Summary
Portrait miniature, watercolour painting on ivory, An Unknown Officer, Sophia Smith (fl.1740-1804). 1762. Oval. Head and shoulders portrait of a man, head turned to the right, gazing to the right, wearing military uniform (red with cream facings and white or silver frogging and buttons). Blue eyes powdered hair in queue, pink face modelled with grey dots and ines, aged 20 to 25. Drab scumbled background, arl to left. Frame is inset with garnets and has fittings to be worn as a bracelet.
Provenance
Date of acquisition not recorded, but probably originally at 16 Charles Street, Mayfair, Mrs Greville's London home, and bequeathed by Margaret McEwan, The Hon. Mrs Ronald Greville (1863-1942) with Polesden Lacey, to the National Trust, in memory of her father, William McEwan (1827-1913) in 1942. This item found on the probate inventory record for Charles Street chattels at Polesden Lacey, miniatures and objects in the safe, page 44.
Marks and inscriptions
S.S. 1772 (?) (signed and dated on front)
Makers and roles
Sophia Smith (fl.1740-1804), miniaturist previously catalogued as attributed to Sophia Smith (fl.1740-1804), miniaturist