There seem to be a fair number of i18th and 19th c. images of young women holding masks, inspired I believe by the popularity of masquerade balls; whether this folk watercolor was based on a specific popular print I have not been able to discern, but it may well have been. Whatever the case, I take it on its own terms and think it's fabulous, with the big blue eyed, side cast gaze of this young woman seeming to sparkle with a coy mischievousness. I really love the treatment of her hand, too, as she holds up the mask, with those two closed fingers seeming as if to signal a specific secret message. A handy subject for juxtaposing male/female and young/old, which serves to heighten her youthful beauty and also, happily, to pack in a certain sort of transgressiveness!
Framed: 11 7/16” x 9 1/4”, as found, in a nice period frame with wood backing, where it has clearly lived a long time, likely original to it. Sight: 8 1/2” x 6 1/4”. All in good condition, with a little staining along the left bottom visible edge of paper.
