A tricky one to photograph due to the glare from the glass, but imagine our Mrs. C. Tasker, as noted on the back of the frame, as much lovelier in person! Housed in its original frame, I would guess the portrait is American and likely dates to the 1830s-40s. I've become more and more drawn to antique miniature portraits, especially of women, in part for the fact that that they were very soon to give way to early photographs, and for the particularities of dress and hairstyle they capture, and especially, at least for me, for the way they invite one to imagine what was going on in the mind of the particular subject as they sat posing. To me, Mrs. Tasker, who I have not found a definite record of, looks like she would make a good and loyal friend, and also as if she would rather be wearing something much more comfortable than this heavy velvet-looking dress, perhaps playing with her children! Soft green ground behind her, with pulled pink curtain at left, both lending a lovely warmth to an already warm portrait.
5 3/16” x 5 15/16” framed. Sight” 3 1/8” x 2 9/16”. Watercolor on what I believe is bone, with a faint hairline crack that runs from the top edge just to the left of her face, very subtly showing but making one want to be a bit gentle with it, and with some dust caught behind the glass, visible against the dark blue of her dress. There is a fair amount of glare caught in photos - I have included photos shot in a few different lighting conditions to try to give a decent sense.
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