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Lot 491: British School, late 17th or early 18th Century, Portrait of a Lady in a Painted Oval
This oil on canvas portrait depicts a lady, half-length, situated within a painted oval feigned surround. The work is executed in a style characteristic of the British School during the late 17th or early 18th century, reflecting the influence of the circle of Sir Godfrey Kneller or Sir Peter Lely. The subject is portrayed with dark, curled hair and is dressed in a low-cut ochre-coloured gown with a white lace-trimmed chemise, accented by a blue patterned mantle draped over her shoulder. The background is rendered in dark, tonal shades. The painting is housed in an ornate, foliate and scroll-carved gilt-composition frame. There is no visible artist signature or date on the front. The verso shows a wooden stretcher with the left vertical member bearing the painted black digits 1, 3, 2, 1.
Condition report:
The painting is in poor overall condition. The canvas has sustained multiple significant punctures and tears, most critically a through-tear located on the subject\'s right eye, with further large punctures to the chest area and left shoulder. The verso reveals numerous canvas patches indicating several previous restoration attempts. The paint surface exhibits extensive craquelure, heavy surface dirt, and aged, yellowed varnish. The gilt-composition frame shows some surface cracking and minor losses to the carved elements.
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