The Bertha

This young lady is shown wearing a dress with a fringed bertha or deep collar. Her hair has been plaited and upswept in a knot with ringlets framing her face.

The silhouette is cut and well gilded and can be attributed to the Hubard Gallery established in 1822 by a businessman seeking to exploit the precocious talents of the child William James Hubard. To keep up with demand as the Gallery went on tour, several artists with differing styles and abilities were employed.

The silhouette is in very good condition and is presented in the original bird’s eye maple veneer frame with a gilt slip.