Although unsigned, this highest quality miniature of a young woman in the blue dress meets all stylistic criteria of works by the well known German-Austrian miniaturist of the turn of 19th century, Emile Bernhard Chevalier de Guerard, and could with great possibility be an original work of this artist.
Emile Bernhard Chevalier de Guerard (1780 Dusseldorf - 1836 Naples) studied first jurisprudence at the Duisburg University but soon turned to fine arts, especially to portrait miniatures. In 1793 he accompanied Prince Auersperg to Vienna, where he was entrusted with commissions from Viennese court and aristocracy. From 1804-1806 he stayed in Lemberg (now Lvov, Ukraine) together with his brother François (engraver). In 1808 he married in Vienna and was appointed court portrait miniaturist. From 1817-19 Guerard worked for the family of Prince Schwarzenberg; at the same time he made some experiments of production of oils for painting and in 1819 he began selling through dealers. Despite his fame as a miniaturist he was in financial difficulties and was forced to produce miniatures for juwelers, who set them in brooches, boxes, lockets, etc. In his last years Guerard was permanently on travels: in 1827 he lived in Venice, in 1831 exhibited in Rome and five years later lived in Naples, where he became victim of cholera, that was prevailing in the town.
Inscription: unsigned , on the reverse old monogram of the sitter.
Technique: gouache on ivory. Original period frame.
Measurements: unframed d " ( cm); framed d " ( cm )
Condition: in very good condition |