Hats Off to Him!

Silhouettes are sometimes also called shades or shadows and this painted silhouette illustrates the reason for this. The profile of a gentleman in a low flat-crowned hat is painted on the reverse side of convex glass so it throws a shadow onto the white plaster behind. The details of his neck-cloth has been scratched out using a needle. The style of his hat dates it to around 1800 to 1810.

The profile is housed in a traditional papier-mâché frame with an acorn hanger. The silhouette and the frame are both in excellent condition.