Lot 482: Portrait Miniature of Soldier, Hair Work Memorial

Mourning Portrait Miniature of a Soldier, with Hairwork Memorial to reverse. The soldier, who appears to be in his 20s or 30s, is depicted bust length in three quarter view, wearing a moustache and red uniform with his right hand in his coat, against an indistinct gray background. To the reverse is a memorial picture featuring a woman holding a ring and standing beside a pedestal and Neoclassical urn, under the shade of a weeping willow branch. The urn, pedestal and branch appear to be made of chopped hair and/or gold thread, embellished with seed pearls, while the woman is rendered in watercolor, as is the repeating medallion border and inscription, “Nach Prufung folgt Dollendung und Ruhe” (After testing comes rest and release”). Housed under glass in a gold metal frame. Sight: 2 3/8  in. H. x 1 7/8 in. W. (61 x 45 mm). Frame: 2 1/2 in. H. x 2 1/8 in. W. (65 x 52 mm).  German, circa 1800. 

PROVENANCE: Private Middle Tennessee collection. 

CONDITION: Portrait: overall excellent condition with a few faint, very minor scratches to background and glass, which do not deter from the image. Memorial Picture: The image is covered by a thin layer of flexible plastic, not glass. Some slight warping and grime to wafer, not apparent on portrait side (indicating perhaps two wafers set back to back). Fading to medallion border. A few losses to seed pearls and threads/hairs, but overall good condition. Slight wear to frame.