An
Antique embossed paper Face Screen with a picture of two young women in
pencil and watercolour. Circa 1825
If
an art work is destined to evoke the world of Jane Austen surely this is
it! It could be Emma and Harriet, Lizzy and Jane, Marianne and Eleanor,
or any of the countless heroines both in life and fiction of the 19th
century.
The
magnificent surround is embossed in the neoclassical tradition of
acanthus leaves arranged symmetrically. Albeit the balanced composition,
the leaves fold out and undulate in a robust way and the design
incorporates two pairs of forget-me- nots and a crowning cheeky daisy.
The inside part of the frame is defined by a delicate controlled
palmette design which frames the main picture. There is an embossed
maker’s mark “Dobbs" on the top.
The
girls are beautifully drawn and tinted, their expressions hinting at
least one broken heart or perhaps a long separation.
The
handle itself is a work of art. It is turned and carved with a true
understanding of texture, spacing and proportion.
Origin:
UK
; Circa: second quarter 19th century; Materials:
paper and ivory (handle) .
Size: Screen 26.5 cm
wide by 25cm; handle 22 cm long: 10.5 inches wide by 9.9
inches; handle 8.6 inches.
Condition:
Please refer to the photographs for details of condition.
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