Young Lady by John Field

A painted and finely bronzed silhouette of a young lady, Miss Galton, in a high-waisted dress with a square neckline trimmed with lace and a beaded necklace, her hair is arranged in short curls. Inscribed in pencil reverse ‘Miss El Galton / 15 Augt 1801′ and set in the original red leather travelling case lined with cream silk.

Ranking amongst the finest silhouette artists of his day, John Field began his career as an assistant to John Miers during the 1790s. Theirs was to be a long and prolific partnership lasting until the death of Miers in 1821 when the business was jointly willed to Field and Miers’ son William. Field excelled at bronzing and his work in this area was unequalled.