Antique 19th C GEORGIAN/Regency Painting/Watercolor Portrait of a Lady at Bedtime w LACE Bonnet & Cherubs Candlestick!

Fine Art : Paintings

 

A pensive lady wearing a nightgown and reading a book before going to bed. This is not Hollywood in the 1930s, this is England in the 1810s!

This small and delicate painting dated 1813, is a VERY rare depiction of a night scene from the Georgian era, complete with an elaborate Georgian decor:

a small Regency turned wood table, a stool covered with a frilly fabric, and the most charming bronze candlestick featuring 2 cherubs.

The lady is wearing a nightgown, possibly a printed cotton etamine (this is England, nights can be chilly) with a light wool or thick cotton capelet bordered with an ornate trim on her shoulders, to keep her warm. She is still wearing her beautiful Georgian necklace, but has already put on her head for the night one of these ethereal antique lace bonnets we all love!

She is not reading a book, but her journal very likely, as lady's journals were a new and extremely popular hobby at the time.

The painting was probably an original created for a magazine of the time. I find the portrait extremely similar in spirit to the famous "Ackerman Repository of Fashions" which was then published in London. The Ackerman publications used engravings for their distribution, but the originals models had to be painted first.

The final plate was all about dress, but the original painting is not only a delightful piece of history, it is also pure poetry!

MEASUREMENTS:

Length: 7 1/4". Width: 5 1/4".

CONDITION: Very good. On artist's paper. Age has darkened the right edge particularly. No painting loss. Colors still very fresh. No particular damage to the paper.

You may also want to check this real Georgian lace bonnet in my antiques/textiles category:

1006LAC

The piece will be shipped Registered Airmail (very safe!) including insurance and signature at delivery.

Item ID: 1197PNT