Silver-Haired

This confidently-painted portrait shows an older silver-haired gentleman with bushy eyebrows and wisdom in his grey eyes. He wears a traditional black coat and frilled chemise. He is understood to be from the Athill family and is possibly the father of the sandy-haired gentleman in the previous listing.

The portrait is set in the original gilt metal frame that is also glazed on the reverse to show brown silk.

Born in Liverpool in 1797 to Thomas Hargreaves and his wife Sophia Shaw, George Thomas Hargreaves followed in his father’s footsteps when he took up miniature painting. In April 1824 he eloped with 17-year old Esther Fargher Quayle, marrying her at Gretna Green. It would seem that their families quickly forgave the couple though as they were married again back home in Liverpool the following month with the permission of Esther’s father and a special license. The couple had a daughter, Sophia, and a son, George Aubrey, who both became music teachers. George Sen. spent most of his working life in Liverpool painting miniatures and teaching drawing. He died in 1869 at the age of 72.

Ivory Registration: JLTJHH6S