{"product_id":"english-school-circa-1840-oil-portrait-of-sarah-siddons-after-thomas-gainsborough","title":"English School circa 1840 Oil Portrait of Sarah Siddons After Thomas Gainsborough","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnglish School, circa 1840\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePortrait of Sarah Siddons, After Thomas Gainsborough\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEarly Victorian Oil Portrait After Gainsborough’s Celebrated 1785 Portrait of the Actress\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHighlights\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFine early Victorian English School portrait of the celebrated actress Sarah Siddons, née Kemble, 1755-1831.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePainted circa 1840 after Thomas Gainsborough’s celebrated 1785 portrait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOil on millboard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn accomplished 19th-century interpretation of one of the great portraits of British theatrical history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSiddons portrayed in her distinctive feathered black hat, blue striped gown, golden-yellow mantle and fur muff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistoric GEO Rowney \u0026amp; Co, Rathbone Place, London association.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvenance through Northern Shire Antiques \u0026amp; Fine Art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExhibited at the Lord Hill Museum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNewly presented in an ornate Larson-Juhl gilt frame.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAR70 museum-grade protective glazing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSupplied with a Certificate of Sale \u0026amp; Dealer Attribution from Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA refined early Victorian English School oil portrait depicting \u003cstrong\u003eSarah Siddons, née Kemble (1755-1831)\u003c\/strong\u003e, the legendary British tragedienne and one of the most celebrated actresses of the Georgian stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePainted circa 1840, the work is a 19th-century interpretation after \u003cstrong\u003eThomas Gainsborough’s celebrated 1785 portrait of Sarah Siddons\u003c\/strong\u003e, now in the National Gallery, London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than portraying Siddons in theatrical character, the composition presents her as a commanding woman of culture and social distinction. She sits in composed profile wearing a striking black feathered hat, blue striped gown, golden-yellow mantle and fur muff, her imposing costume balanced by the delicacy of her expression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painting offers an appealing intersection between British portraiture and theatrical history, preserving through a later hand one of the defining images of perhaps the most famous tragic actress of her generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCatalogue Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtist: English School\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitle: \u003cem\u003ePortrait of Sarah Siddons\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDate: Circa 1840\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeriod: Early Victorian\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMedium: Oil on millboard\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAttribution: After Thomas Gainsborough, 1727-1788\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal Composition: Thomas Gainsborough’s \u003cem\u003eMrs Siddons\u003c\/em\u003e, 1785\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSitter: Sarah Siddons, née Kemble, 1755-1831\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSignature: Apparently unsigned\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrame: Later Larson-Juhl gilt frame\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlazing: AR70 museum-grade protective glass\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCatalogue Note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition follows Gainsborough’s celebrated portrait of Sarah Siddons, presenting the actress seated against a dark reddish-brown background and turned elegantly to one side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSiddons wears a lustrous blue striped gown beneath a golden-yellow mantle. Her dramatic black hat, ornamented with sweeping feathers, creates a striking silhouette, while the fur muff resting in her lap introduces another richly contrasting texture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe palette is restrained yet sumptuous. Deep blues, golden ochres and warm reddish-brown tones surround the sitter’s lighter complexion, directing attention towards the face while maintaining the theatrical grandeur of the composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painter has approached the fabrics and accessories with comparatively broad, fluid handling, while the face is more softly modelled. Contrasts between silk, fur, feather and flesh contribute substantially to the visual richness of the portrait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough dependent upon Gainsborough’s original composition, the work possesses the character of a 19th-century interpretation rather than being presented as a work by Gainsborough himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts circa 1840 date is also significant. Sarah Siddons had died only in 1831, and her reputation remained exceptionally strong during the early Victorian period. Portraits such as this participated in the preservation of her image for a later generation that regarded her as one of the defining personalities of the British stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Sitter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSarah Siddons, née Kemble, 1755-1831, was one of the most celebrated tragic actresses in the history of the British theatre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn into the distinguished Kemble theatrical family, she developed a formidable reputation for tragic roles and became particularly associated with Shakespearean heroines, most famously Lady Macbeth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer emotional intensity, commanding stage presence and remarkable voice attracted audiences from across British society and earned her extraordinary celebrity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSiddons also occupied an unusual cultural position for an actress of her period. Beyond the theatre, her public image became associated with dignity, intelligence and respectability, contributing to her status as both performer and cultural icon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGainsborough’s portrait is particularly important because it presents Siddons not as a theatrical character but as an elegant contemporary woman whose commanding personality provides the drama.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe present early Victorian interpretation perpetuates that celebrated image and reflects Siddons’s enduring reputation after her death.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAfter Thomas Gainsborough\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomas Gainsborough, 1727-1788, was one of the foremost British painters of the 18th century and a defining figure in the development of British portraiture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis portraits combined fashionable elegance with fluid painterly handling, psychological sensitivity and an exceptional ability to render costume, fabric and atmosphere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGainsborough painted Sarah Siddons in 1785 at the height of her fame. The resulting portrait became one of the defining images of the actress and remains among the best-known works associated with her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe present painting was executed by an unidentified English artist during the 19th century and follows Gainsborough’s composition. It is therefore catalogued as \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish School, circa 1840, after Thomas Gainsborough\u003c\/strong\u003e, clearly distinguishing the work from Gainsborough’s original.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrivate collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGEO Rowney \u0026amp; Co, Rathbone Place, London association.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorthern Shire Antiques \u0026amp; Fine Art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExhibited at the Lord Hill Museum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubsequently curated and presented by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFramed:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e41 cm high x 34 cm wide x 2 cm deep\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe portrait is ready for display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrame and Presentation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painting is presented in a newly fitted ornate Larson-Juhl frame finished in gold foil with a sculpted reserve profile sympathetic to the historic character of the portrait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is protected by newly fitted AR70 museum-grade glazing, providing enhanced clarity together with protection appropriate for long-term display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition Report\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe work remains structurally sound and presents attractively.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAge-related craquelure and areas of foxing or staining are visible, consistent with the painting’s age and historic support.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAreas of previous paint retouching are visible principally around the outer edges of the background. These interventions do not significantly detract from the sitter’s principal facial features or the overall integrity of the composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe surface retains good colour, texture and visual presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe later Larson-Juhl frame and museum-grade glazing present very well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease examine all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the condition report. Additional photographs and further information are available upon request.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShipping\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorldwide shipping is available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe portrait will be professionally packaged with particular attention given to protecting the painting, frame and museum-grade glazing and will be fully insured for transit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCertificate of Sale \u0026amp; Dealer Attribution\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale \u0026amp; Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAttribution and Research\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. We are committed to offering collectors works of artistic and historical merit accompanied by transparent provenance research, detailed catalogue descriptions and professional, client-focused service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditional photographs and further information are available upon request.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55512264573306,"sku":"CAC-SK-0379","price":12500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0201\/2227\/1808\/files\/Siddons.jpg?v=1749885676","url":"https:\/\/cheshireantiquesconsultantltd.com\/en-ae\/products\/english-school-circa-1840-oil-portrait-of-sarah-siddons-after-thomas-gainsborough","provider":"Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD","version":"1.0","type":"link"}