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An exquisite piece of early British photographic history. This 19th-century Victorian portrait features a young lady elegantly styled in mid-century bourgeois fashion, wearing a vibrant blue dress accented with intricate white lace.
This is a beautiful example of an over-painted or hand-tinted photograph, a luxury process from the dawn of commercial studio photography. Because true color photography did not yet exist, a professional studio artist heavily layered watercolors and gouache over a photographic base to create a lifelike, vibrant portrait.
Item Details and Attribution:
Artist/Studio: Signed in pencil in the lower right corner: "Lambert Weston Photo Dover 1871"
Date: 1871 (High Victorian Era)
Medium: Watercolor, gouache, and pastel over a photographic base on paper
Subject: Seated Victorian woman holding a small bouquet of pink flowers
Framing: Housed in a lovely, modern reproduction oval frame (teal blue with a gilded inner lip) that beautifully complements the tones of the dress. Ready to hang!
About the Photographer:
Lambert Weston (c. 1806–1895) ran a highly prominent and celebrated photographic studio on Waterloo Crescent in Dover, Kent. His studio was patronized by British royalty, aristocrats, and notable figures of the era. Around 1870, Weston famously hired Martin Jacolette (the son of a Swiss miniature portrait painter) to execute high-end painted commissions just like this one.
Condition:
The artwork itself is in very good antique condition for its age. The paper shows authentic, gentle age-toning consistent with a 150+ year old piece. The frame is a modern reproduction in excellent, clean condition, ensuring the delicate paper is securely held and protected for years to come.
Please see all photos for a closer look at the artist's signature, date, and overall condition. Shipped securely with plenty of protective packaging
