🎭 Elegant 19th-Century Oil Portrait of Sarah Siddons née Kemble After Gainsborough
🎭 Elegant 19th-Century Oil of Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) After Gainsborough
🖼️ Subject & Medium
An exquisite oil-on-millboard portrait of the legendary tragedienne Sarah Siddons (née Kemble), this refined 19th-century English School interpretation of Thomas Gainsborough’s famed 1785 composition was painted circa 1840, early in the Victorian era. Executed in rich oil, the work gracefully channels the grandeur of the original while imparting the romantic sensibility of its own time.
🎨 Composition & Technique
Siddons is portrayed seated with serene dignity, turned slightly to the left, her gaze composed and introspective. Set against a warm, reddish-brown backdrop, the composition evokes the intimacy of a candlelit theatre. She dons a lustrous blue striped gown, accented with a yellow mantle and a black beaver hat adorned with ostrich feathers. A fox-fur muff rests delicately in her lap, completing the tableau of textural opulence.
🎨 The palette is regal yet nuanced: deep cerulean, golden ochre, and crimson-shadowed tones envelop her luminous complexion. Confident, sweeping brushstrokes give motion to the drapery, while her features are softly modeled with subtle blending, achieving a tender realism. The interplay of fabric, fur, and feather offers tactile depth, reinforcing the artist’s allegiance to the Grand Manner tradition—favoring atmosphere and character over exacting realism.
👑 About the Sitter
Sarah Siddons (1755–1831) was the preeminent tragic actress of her time, renowned for her powerful stage presence and stirring emotional depth. Born into the renowned Kemble theatrical dynasty, she captivated 18th-century audiences—most famously as Lady Macbeth—and earned admiration from aristocracy and royalty alike.
Though best known for her theatrical prowess, Siddons was equally respected off-stage for her intellect, virtue, and grace. This portrait depicts her not in costume, but as herself: elegant, commanding, and contemplative—a woman as revered in salons as she was on stage.
🖌️ About the Artist & Signature
Though unsigned, this painting is confidently attributed to the English School, created in the manner of Gainsborough’s 1785 masterpiece. Not a direct replica, the artist infuses personal nuance—favoring painterly surface and mood in line with mid-19th-century academic styles. The restrained yet expressive execution reflects a strong foundation in the British portrait tradition.
🖼️ Frame
Presented in a new ornate Larson-Juhl frame, finished in gold foil with a sculpted reserve profile—tastefully echoing the sitter’s era. The portrait is safeguarded behind AR70 museum-grade glass, providing both UV protection and exceptional visual clarity for enduring display.
📐 Frame Dimensions: 41 cm (H) x 34 cm (W) x 2 cm (D)
Ready to hang and admire.
📜 Provenance
🏛️ Private Collection
✒️ GEO Rowney & Co, Rathbone Place, London
🖼️ Acquired through Northern Shire Antiques & Fine Art Dealer
🧠 Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant
🏰 Exhibited at a Middle Shire Museum, noted for its British heritage exhibitions
💚 Why You’ll Love It
✅ Historic Elegance – A 19th-century homage to Gainsborough’s timeless portrait.
✅ Legendary Sitter – Captures the regal grace of Britain’s finest tragic actress.
✅ Artistic Finesse – Rich color palette, soft brushwork, and graceful composition.
✅ Display-Ready – Professionally framed with museum-grade protective glass.
✅ Trusted Provenance – Backed by curatorship and notable exhibition history.
✅ Collector’s Choice – A luminous fusion of theatre, portraiture, and legacy.
🩻 Condition
Structurally sound with areas of visible craquelure and foxing, consistent with age. Minor touch-ups are evident around the background edges but executed with care, preserving the sitter’s features and overall harmony. Surface remains texturally rich and visually cohesive.
🌍 Worldwide Shipping Available
Professionally packaged and fully insured for safe international delivery.
🖼️ Available exclusively through Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
📩 Inquire now to secure this piece
