The Ruby Brooch

Looking sophisticated with her dark hair upswept under a bandeau, Frances Torr is shown wearing a lace-edged empire-line dress with a pale blue sash. She has teemed her dress with a lustrous pearl necklace and, for a pop of colour, a ruby and pearl brooch.

Born in 1774, Frances was the daughter of James Torr of Westleigh in Devon and his wife Rebekah (née Hooley) whom he married in London in September 1770. From the hand-written label on the back of the frame we can glean that Frances married a surgeon in 1804 and had at least one daughter.

Painted with a blue grey background in the manner of German-born Peter Eduard Stroely, the miniature is mounted within in the original decoratively carved and gilded gesso frame. The period frame inevitably has cracks and small repairs with damage to one rear corner and small loss to the left edge.