Enamel minature dated anno 1704 signed BL.

Looking for help identifying if this is a genuine minature from that period or a reproduction. I appreciate any information at all.
Thank you very much!

 

From the quality of its execution, certainly appears to be a reproduction. If you haven't done so already, I suggest you do a Google Images search for a genuine piece by B.L. and compare.

Debora

 

Interesting piece...
Leslie

 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/155303887208307891/
I am not sure but there are a lot of big hats at the turn of last century!

 

I believe that big hair style (achieved with wigs) comes in later in the 18th century. Earlier styles were a bit more subdued.


Portrait of Lady in Blue, Thomas Gainsborough, 1775

Unknown Lady, John Smibert, 1781

 

I found a reference to a miniature portrait painting in the Museum
date 1746 and signed B.L. for Bernard Lens If it is the same person, your pin would have been painted early in his career.

Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Portrait Miniatures on Loan at the ...
By South Kensington Museum

Get this book in print▼ Front Cover 0 Reviews Write review Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Portrait Miniatures on Loan at the ... By South Kensington Museum

 

Here is a Wikipedia page on Bernard Lens III He joined a portrait club in 1704. I think your pin should be researched more.

It puts his death at 1740. C

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Lens_III

 

The writing on the back looks like permanent marker to me?

 

title should be "cross eyed lady of the lowlands"

 

These two ladies might well be related...
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/...udicca-Boadicea?LinkID=mp58874&role=sit&rNo=1

 

Here is a genuine Bernard Lens miniature from the collection of the V&A for comparison. There is none.

Debora

 

Thank you very much i did look at bernerd lens and didn't think it was right it just doesn't have the same quality but is it a possibility that is os a genuine piece by a different maker or done in his very early years when he was learning.....or am i being too optimistic ha ha.
Thanks you

 

Looking closely i would say the date and initials are painted on but i could be wrong.

 

I don't think you can use that as a definite way to compare if it is a Lens. He didn't start painting until 1704, the year the enamel pin is dated. If you Google his portraits and look at the dates, his style and ability changed a lot as time went on and you would never know some of his portraits were done by him side by side.

 

Here a link to several portraits by Bernard Lens.

https://www.invaluable.com/artist/lens-bernard-8vdwfml8x5/sold-at-auction-prices/

 

No I know that and what I should have done is not put anything about bernerd lens and just asked if anyone knows the maker...someone else said it could be his but i have looked at a lot of his work and this one does not look right at all. Thanks for the comments

 

Then there's always the fact that her hair style and clothing are Late Georgian, a good 50 years after the miniature is dated.

 

Were you answering me about whether it was magic marker on the back? That definitely doesn't look like paint to me. You can try a solvent for magic marker which won't affect 300 year old dried enamel paint.

 

I wouldnt say its permanent marker. Here is a close up