Lady with Plumed Black Hat
English
A delicate young lady with a striking face is turned towards the observer of this miniature, her gaze directed to an undefined point in the distance. She is wearing a vibrant navy blue suit with elegantly subdued gold ornaments; the ruffles of a white collar cascade over her neckline. Her hair is covered by a broad-brimmed black hat and a bow. Three imposing ostrich feathers adorn this headgear, acting at the same time as a sort of counterpart to the magnificent head of curls which spill out from under her hat.
It is precisely this opposition that gives a great appeal to the picture. The strong colours of the eyes and lips form a delightful contrast to the admittedly warm but rather pale and soft complexion of her face. The fragility of her body is contrast to the wild and voluminous bulk of curls, which is continued in the vibrancy of the feathers and the ruffles of the collar. The radiant blue of the velvet fabric stands out particularly from the white of the collar and the gold embroidery. Everything in this portrait expresses tense anticipation, energy and yet a fine reticence – just simple elegance.
The former attribution to John Cox Dillman Engleheart, who was born only in 1782/84, is obviously wrong. The later attribution to Joseph Saunders cannot be substantiated either for reasons regarding the painting technique. Emma Rutherford proposes attributing the work to John Donaldson.1
J. S. O.