A George III oval portrait miniature of a gentleman, the left facing profile in watercolour depicting a man of about thirty years in a dark blue frock coat with an elaborate cravat and a frilled shirt, on buff paper with a very slim mount around it, in an oval frame with a gilt brass surmount having beaded inner and gadroon outer edge. To the reverse is a wooden back with a description of the sitter. English circa 1805.
The sitter is, according to the inscription on the back, Lt Col Robert Swinton, son of John, Lord Swinton, (1723-1799) a Scottish advocate who became Senator of the College of Justice, born 1773 and who served in the Honourable East India Company Service. He married but had no issue, and died in 1821. He is buried at St John’s church, Princes Street, Edinburgh.
Condition: Overall very good; the paper and portrait are in good condition, with perhaps a little fading, the gilt frame is in good condition with some marks commensurate with age. The taping at the back has been redone and the inscription, in ballpoint, has also been redone, presumably replacing an older label. There is a ring affixed to the top for hanging it.
Overall dimensions:
Height = 12 cm (4.7″)
Width = 10 cm (3.9″)