Albin Roberts Burt Touching Miniature Portrait of a kindly faced Lady Signed with Artist's Trade Hanger

THE STORY - I came across this miniature when I was rifling through a cabinet and fell instantly in love with the woman's kindly face, those wonderful deep set eyes looking downwards and her perfectly formed lips in a gentle smile. I sensed very much that the portrait was finely painted but it was not until later that I realised the miniature was both signed and indeed had the Artist's Trade Hanger. The Artist is Albin Roberts Burt (1783-1842), a prolific miniature artist who started he trade as an engraver being a pupil of Robert Thew & Benjamin Smith but left this as he felt this was not where his talent lied. He exhibited in The Royal Academy in 1807 and 1830 and indeed one of his sitters was Lord Nelson, who was known to the Burt family as Burt's brother was private secretary to Nelson. This Burt miniature painted in watercolour on card apparently was painted in 1814 according the verse the on reverse of the frame. This verse is written upon a new backing was has been applied at some point in the miniature's life advising that the reverse of the miniature is inscribed with 'Painted by Burt, Warwick, 1814'. I have not removed the backing so I cannot say this is accurate. What I do know is that the miniature sits in it's original papier-mâché frame with the Artist's Trade Hanger which is in the form of an artist's palette surrounded by flowers and engraved with the words A.R.Burt, Miniature Painter and is signed 'Burt' at the edge near the woman's shoulder. Also on the shop label it advised that the sitter was said to be a Mrs Perry, but this does not appear to be documented in any other way, but I thought it's new owner should know. I also want to advise that the photos show the miniature in different tones and for me the best and truest representations of the colours are the third and seventh photos.

AGE - 1814

CONDITION - The miniature is in good condition with the colours of the painting still strong. The frame too is in good condition but there are some small scratches to the glass and these are probably best seen in the fifth photo. The lacquer of the papier-maché frame is slightly chipped on the right hand side as one looks at it which can best be seen in the eighth photo. And the trade hanger some have some play to it. I again want to point out that I think the best and most honest representation of the colours of this miniature are the third and seventh photos.

DIMENSIONS (Approx) - Framed Height 5&1/2" / 14cm, Width 4&1/2" / 12cm, Depth 1/4" / 0.5cm, Unframed - Height 2&3/4" /7cm, Width 2&1/8" / 5.5cm

I cannot tell you how much I love the face of this dear lady always being instantly drawn to her deep set eyes then her smile somehow the fineness of her face is highlighted by her less detailed large white bonnet and the brown band which is around it and also the blue ribbon tied around her neck with her salmon coloured shawl which has been painted in more of a stylised manner. And it is lovely she is signed and sit's in her original frame with the Artist's Trade Hanger, but I would of loved her if she wasn't. She is for me a very beautiful miniature.