Featured Small Portrait...Time Period and Artist?

Hi,
I have acquired a small portrait, oil and gouache painted on card, about 5x7" roughly. It looks to be faintly signed along one of the edges but alas! I can't read it. The border that you see is all hand-painted and is part of the painting. The paper is a sturdy thick paper sort of like an old posterboard. Any ideas at all about the age or artist? Thanks.

 

Given the simplicity of her hairstyle and the volume of her neckline, early Victorian I would think. Looks Continental.

Debora

 

Thanks so much for the reply.So mid 1800s then?

 

Yes, that's what I would think. Let's see what others think.

Debora

 

No one would paint in oils then highlight with gouache. I think you may have a print with a bit of gouache highlighting.

 

blooey, I've looked at very closely under a loupe. It is 100% original, not a print. Perhaps what looks like white gouache is instead white oil paint, but it's most definitely original.

 

And I did play with looking for a signature.....very dark along the bottom....and extremely hard to manipulate lights & darks AND get the right contrast to see ........where are you seeing hints of the sig.....below center? Or generally one of the areas I've marked??? Because I think I'm seeing hints in all those areas.....

 

Thanks for doing that Aquitaine, here is the best photo I could take of the signature. It's just kind of lining up along the edge.

 

I would say chromolithograph with highlights but I could be wrong I guess

 

If you haven't done so already, you might want to do a Google Images search to see if it comes up.

Debora

 

Debora, I have already done that...it doesn't come up.