Featured Miniature portraits ivory frames -Greuse?

Frames have seen better days, but these three were at a garage sale a while back, and wound up buying them. They are actual paintings, probably done on ivory. (I realize the limitations of selling ivory.) First signed "Greuse"? 2nd, I cannot make out, but this one is missing its glass, 3 and 4 unsigned. Just wondering if anything stands out. Thanks!

 

And one last one:


Just curious if any stand out, or if anyone recognizes the artist or anything about these. Thanks!

 

They are beautiful, Lucille. Could be after bigger paintings.

 

i like the 3rd gal....those steely blue eyes have me transfixed to the screen !!!

 

I think they're all copies of portraits of famous women. Or famous portraits anyway.

 

This type of frames are referred to "piano keys", dating first third of 20th, 18th/romantic revival, often backed with old book pages...
Nothing in common with Greuze, sadly
Enjoy them for nice hand painted miniatures, anyway

 

The lady with the vivid blue eyes is the only one where I see hints that the tiles might be ivory. The others all look like bone to me, pieced to give the impression of ivory. Without being able to really examine them for grain, can't be sure. I have hinged bangle bracelets from India that seem to employ this trick.

First 3 were probably famous beauties of their day. Other signature looks like Shiler to me, but Shüler more likely. I like that the older lady, still beautiful, is herself holding a miniature.

Amuses me that the paper used to back them appears to be pages from religious books such as a priest or seminarian might have.

I have a piece of this sort, except the 'ivory' is Celluloid, with a miniature reproduction of Raphael's Madonna del Cardelino. My suspicion is that the underlying image is a print of the painting as it looked before restoration, with some touches of paint added by hand. A swoosh of white has made the toddler Jesus fit for polite company.

 

@afantiques Has written some about these sorts of "piano key" framed prints before. Somewhere in this forum! I'll see if I can find one.

 

Here are two of af's posts.

https://www.antiquers.com/threads/h...me-of-soldier-what-country.11875/#post-170676

https://www.antiquers.com/threads/3-bone-ivory-framed-miniature-portraits.1873/#post-26092

 

@Lucille.b -- The second link was to a thread that you posted here back in 2014!

 

Thanks Fig! Yes, I've inquired about and sold piano key frames before. Just wanted to be sure the paintings in this recent group weren't anything special.

Cheers for posting the link. Forgot about those! They were in much better condition that this current set. Ohhhh, makes me long for the days when the consignment store was selling antiques for cheap. (Same store is now overpriced and they look everything up.)

This current group was from a garage sale. Even with the damage, felt I had to get them. I rarely see true antiques at garage sales.

I appreciate the additional eyes on these!

 

She has her hair powdered, in the 18th century fashion. Women and men both did it; only bumpkins and the poor didn't powder their hair. I forget exactly how long it went on.

 

Shame on them!

 

If I saw those at a garage sale, I would buy them, too!

 

Many of these miniature portraits were not entirely hand painted, but over decorated photos of actual paintings. Looking at your pieces I think they might be such examples.

 

When I look through a loop, all I see is paint. These seem to be done on a very thin slice of ivory, based on the picture that is completely falling apart. So the photo or print would need to be somehow attached to that ivory which does not seem to be the case as I don't see any kind of layer attached. (But maybe misunderstanding the process, to be fair.) I have heard these described as "gouache over watercolor" in other auctions. I'll take another look to be sure. Thanks.