Very Rare Lithographed Body American Silhouette ca.1830

Antiques : Primitives : Antiques : Silhouettes

 

This is a monster of a find! Not only is this a very rare type of American folk art, but its state of preservation is first-rate and certainly belongs in the best American folk art collection. Sellers often use the term, "museum quality," but such terms are confusing at best, as many museums own junk to gem of all sorts. This silhouette is definitely for a collector who desires the best.

First, the frame and its reverse painted glass are all original to this silhouette. The frame is gold-leafed with warm plum colored patina where the gold had worn. This combination of colors is very attractive. This American pine frame measures 5 x 6 inches. The reverse painted glass is very fine with basically no wear to the black and gold paint. The oval gold surrounding the image is crude, but it is "as-made." The glass has a few bubbles, most noticeable one to the left of the sitter's head. This may appear as a tiny hole of the paper on the photo, but it is just a bubble on the glass. The original, rigid cardboard with dried flowers is included. Folk portrait painters often used this type of board for their oil paintings.

The construction of this silhouette is unique. The head is a hollow-cut from one piece of wove paper; the lithographed body is made from another piece of paper. After the printing process, the body is cut-out but leaving the area below it uncut, as the reverse painted glass covers this area. It is then lightly pasted on to the silhouette paper.

As you can see from the photos, nothing "funny" is going on with this rare silhouette. Everything is out on the open. The paper has oval toning from being exposed to light over the course of its history. This is natural. The darkish pinpoint spots below the bust area are not dust/mold. They are from the inking process of the printing.

The hollow-cut is smooth without any tears or other defects. The very simple inking or the wash around the sitters's head is very well executed. What is amazing is that the artist actually painted a recognizable comb in her head. It is a very nice added touch. Furthermore, the sitter has an eyelash.

I just cannot imagine a more attractive silhouette of this genre existing. This is a very rare silhouette, a true folk art in its best tradition and crème de la crème. The original backboard made of stiff cardboard and dried flowers is included.

No money? No biggie! See my easy layaway plan.

Item ID: MP-4767