Mid-18th-Century French School, Portrait Of A Lady With Sapphires Bold Year of creation: 1866

Year of creation: 1866

Holbein’s large-scale original was produced following a commission by his clients

The painting is housed within a chippy gilded frame with swept foliate decoration

but this is a simple passing moment captured ‘en plein air’ for posterity

While the rugged copse on the left is a sketchy mosaic of greens with earthy brown

Mid-18th-Century French School, Portrait Of A Lady With Sapphires Bold Year of creation: 1866This charming mid 18th century half length French portrait depicts a lady wearing an olive green gown, together with a red cloak, and exquisite sapphire jewellery. Painted circa 1740, this piece can be contextualised by considering Louis Tocqus (1696 1772) portrait of Marie Leczinska, Queen of France, as Royal commissions often set the bar in terms of fashion. Note the similarities of the neckline, use of jewellery, and hairstyle, with its single curl