A Skinny Pigtail

This silhouette dates from the early 1790s and was once in the collection of Mrs Nevill Jackson, a passionate collector of silhouettes during the early 20th century who published three related reference books. The silhouette shows a gentleman, facing right, wearing a buttoned-up coat and a wig with an exceptionally thin pigtail tied, as was the fashion, with ribbon.

Preferring as he did the simplicity and elegance of an unembellished black profile, this ‘shade’ is painted on white plaster using a mixture of soot and beer to create a strong contrast. It is set in the original turned pearwood frame (some old chipping to the outer rim) and backed with the artist’s trade label no. 11 that was in use from May 1791.