An early 19th century silhouette in an antique birdseye maple frame

This is such a poignant portrait as it depicts a boy in sailor’s dress standing on shore looking out to sea and could well have been commissioned by his family before he left to embark on a naval career. Careers in the navy were a hugely popular choice for young boys and their families in the late 18th and early 19th centuries: for boys it held the attraction of a lifestyle that promised action and adventure and for their families it was an affordable and prestigious career especially for younger sons of gentry families. The watercolour board displays the embossed stamp ‘Turnbull Superfine London Board’, a high quality artists’ supplier from 1780 to the mid 1800s.

Looking at this beautiful silhouette makes me wonder who he was and what his future had in store for him.

33cm x 26.5cm (including frame)

Please contact me to buy