Circle of Samuel Shelley (British, 1750-1808)


A mourning miniature depicting Cupid behind a tree and a lady being lead to a funeral monument, lit by a torch in the foreground. Watercolour on ivory, the monument and torch composed of painted ivory, mother-of-pearl, gilt-metal and seed pearl decoration, gold frame with a blue and white verre-églomisé surround to the obverse, the reverse set with blue glass and a central aperture glazed to reveal the gilt-metal monogram JW on an opalescent glass ground within a border of plaited hair, some seed pearl losses and damage to the verre-églomisé surround, blue glass to the reverse cracked. Oval, 62mm (2 7/16in) high