Miniature by Richard Crosse

Large scale portrait miniature c.1775 of an elegant lady herself wearing a mourning miniature of a lidded urn.The miniature is tied fashionably on a fine ribbon.

She is painted in Crosse's distinctive greenish-blue tint including the shading to the face.

The miniature is set to a later gilt-metal pendant case with cobalt glass to reverse.

The miniature is 3.75 by 3 inches ,full length from top of bale is 4.5inches.

Richard Crosse (1742–1810) was a leading English painter of portrait miniatures. He was a contemporary of John Smart, George Engleheart,and Richard Cosway.

Born deaf and dumb he was so gifted at painting that he won a prize at the Society of Arts in 1758 and moved to London to study.He exhibited at the Royal Academy 1770-1796. Many of his works and his paint box can be seen in the V and A Museum.