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John SMART
Norfolk, 1740 - 1811, London
Portrait of an English couple
Round miniatures on paper
1795
One is signed lower right ??? Smart, the second is signed and dated lower right Smart 1795
Handwritten annotations by the collector on the reverse board, with collector's label.
D. 7.5 cm
Portrait of an English couple
Miniatures on paper, round form
1795
One is signed lower right, the second is signed and dated lower right
Handwritten annotations by the collector on the reverse of the cardboard, with collection label
D.: 2 15/16 in.
PROVENANCE
Collection of Emile Théodore (1876-1937), with his label. A native of Lille, Théodore was renowned as a great art collector, a member of various academic societies and local scholarly associations| from 1907, he was attached to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lille, where he served as general curator from 1912 to 1937.
Executed on paper, with the watercolors finely evoked, this is most probably a preparatory drawing for the final miniature, as the artist was accustomed to working. John Smart was one of the most remarkable English miniaturists of his time, along with Richard Cosway and Richard Crosse. A finalist at the age of 15 in a drawing competition organized by the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, he received his training at William Shipley's School of Drawing in London, and exhibited regularly at the Society of Artists from 1762. He visited India in 1788, before settling permanently in London between 1795 and 1797. His work is very characteristic, with its various touches of gray in the colorations, enhanced by the warmer tones of the flesh| he is further distinguished by the great anatomical precision brought to the portraits of his models. As the biographical note overleaf states, "from a technical point of view and in terms of accuracy, Smart's portraits are without rival."
Norfolk, 1740 - 1811, London
Portrait of an English couple
Round miniatures on paper
1795
One is signed lower right ??? Smart, the second is signed and dated lower right Smart 1795
Handwritten annotations by the collector on the reverse board, with collector's label.
D. 7.5 cm
Portrait of an English couple
Miniatures on paper, round form
1795
One is signed lower right, the second is signed and dated lower right
Handwritten annotations by the collector on the reverse of the cardboard, with collection label
D.: 2 15/16 in.
PROVENANCE
Collection of Emile Théodore (1876-1937), with his label. A native of Lille, Théodore was renowned as a great art collector, a member of various academic societies and local scholarly associations| from 1907, he was attached to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lille, where he served as general curator from 1912 to 1937.
Executed on paper, with the watercolors finely evoked, this is most probably a preparatory drawing for the final miniature, as the artist was accustomed to working. John Smart was one of the most remarkable English miniaturists of his time, along with Richard Cosway and Richard Crosse. A finalist at the age of 15 in a drawing competition organized by the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, he received his training at William Shipley's School of Drawing in London, and exhibited regularly at the Society of Artists from 1762. He visited India in 1788, before settling permanently in London between 1795 and 1797. His work is very characteristic, with its various touches of gray in the colorations, enhanced by the warmer tones of the flesh| he is further distinguished by the great anatomical precision brought to the portraits of his models. As the biographical note overleaf states, "from a technical point of view and in terms of accuracy, Smart's portraits are without rival."