Antique French Portrait Miniature, Early 19th Century, a Beautiful 18th Century Woman with Mandolin Crumb Brush jewelry compartment beneath 3 lift-out

jewelry compartment beneath 3 lift-out trays

fearing further issue with the hairline

The interior of the ivory case retains a gold foil but not the mirror that would have been inside

This one is very early 1800s

The faces formed in leather are fascinating and works of art

Antique French Portrait Miniature, Early 19th Century, a Beautiful 18th Century Woman with Mandolin Crumb Brush jewelry compartment beneath 3 lift-outWhat a beauty she is! It's fascinating, isn't it, that so much personality and detail can be painted in 5 8", which is the height of her beautiful face. This woman, fashioned in hair and gown of c. 1770s, but I think painted later perhaps as a souvenir taken from an earlier painting, shows her playing a mandolin. Always fun to have portraits with musical instruments, sewing or writing tools or personal objects to help define the sitter. The painting