Portrait of a Woman

About this work

This portrait was painted by the artist known only by the initial V, who has yet to be identified and whose body of work is not well defined. Miniatures by V have appeared in only a handful of public collections and exhibitions, including the Holburne Museum of Art in Bath. The artist was recognized by 1929 when Basil Long mentioned two works by V that sold at auction in 1926 and 1928, both signed “V” and one dating from around 1778. Since then, miniatures signed by or attributed to V have appeared regularly at auction. The artist’s work is distinctive and characterized by unnaturally large heads and a semi-grisaille technique at odds with the prevailing tendency of miniatures to utilize the creamy translucency of the ivory ground as a base for warm, glowing flesh tones. Because miniaturists often came to the art form from a variety of artistic traditions, it remains a distinct possibility that V was primarily a draftsman or printmaker who worked in the medium only occasionally. Although some works by V exhibit a saturated color palette and strong linearity, others more closely resemble the Cleveland Museum of Art miniature, with its pale colors and soft, voluminous forms. This…