Portrait of  of Duchess Charlotte of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1769 Hanover - 1818 Hildburghausen),  born Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz by important German portrait painter Johann Heinrich Schröder (1757 - 1812). For comparison see other portraits of the same sitter by Joh.Heinrich Schröder und Karl August Kessler :

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Charlotte_Georgine_of_Mecklenburg-Strelitz?uselang=de#/media/File:Portrait_of_Princess_Charlotte_von_Mecklenburg,_Duchess_of_Sachsen-Hildburghausen-Altenburg_(1769-1819)_in_a_white_dress_and_red_shawl.jpg

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_von_Mecklenburg-Strelitz_(1769–1818)#/media/Datei:Charlottesahi1800.JPG

Duchess Charlotte of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1769–1818), born Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was a significant patron of the arts and the mother of Queen Therese of Bavaria. Because of her beautiful voice, she was affectionately known as "Singlotte. She  was the eldest daughter of Hereditary Prince Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Friederike Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt. Charlotte became Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen in 1785 through marriage.

Along with her sisters, Queen Louise of Prussia, Queen Friederike of Hanover, and Princess Therese of Thurn and Taxis, she was considered one of the most beautiful women of her time. Jean Paul dedicated his novel Titan to the "four beautiful and noble sisters on the throne".

The author of our painting Johann Heinrich Schröder studied at the Academy of Arts in Kassel („the Académie at that time de Peinture “). Like his teacher Johann Heinrich Tischbein sen. , he provided mainly small portraits n Pastell technique, but also oil portraits. Schröder was for different prince houses actively, among other since 1785 as court painter at the court of Braunschweig and later at the cort of Baden. In Berlin he can be proven in the years 1790 and around 1800. On study trips, which led him 1793 to England and the Netherlands, he trained himself further and took up the won influences to his painting. Johann Heinrich Schröder is considered as one the best Pastell painters of the end of 18th century. 

Provenance: Century sale of Sotheby's  in the castle Marienburg by Hanover, 5-15.10.2005, Lot No.1752.

Literature: Thieme/Becker Vo11, 1915; Vo5, 1961. Jansa, 1912; Boetticher I.1, 1891

Inscription: signed with monogram J.S.

Technique: oil on canvas,  gold-plated Classicism style frame.

Measurements: unframed 13 3/4” x 16 3/4” (35 x 42,5 cm ), framed w 22 1/2” x h 25 5/8” (57,3 x 65 cm).

Condition: in good condition.