Description
This charming oil on mahogany board depicts a portrait of a young woman in typical early 19th-century fashion surrounded by foliage while she sits on a rock tending to her shoe. Housed in a giltwood frame Dated 1820 and signed “JWW” on the lower left corner. While signed, the initials are unattributed.
This painting masterfully implements lights and darks, setting up the figure against a lush backdrop of shaded leaves. The colors are rich, and painted in such a way that the woman looks as though she is almost glowing with a soft, curving femininity. There is also a playful ambiguity to this scene; who is she glancing over her shoulder at? Is she taking a moment to rest? To dip her toes in the water?
This lovely painting is housed in a period cassetta frame. Cassetta frames, which are also called plate frames and box frames (the word cassetta means “small box”), were developed in Italy during the late 15th century and used especially for domestic and secular paintings. The Cassetta frame design was simply an inner and outer molding separated by a central flat recessed band called a frieze. This frame is adorned with a central beaded trim and painted gold.
A gorgeously rendered scene with a touch of whimsical mystery, this painting would be a treasured addition to a bedroom, study, or hallway.
With Frame: H=11.25 in. W=9.25 in. D=1.5 in. 2 lbs.
Panel: H=9 in. W=7 in.
