Author Topic: 1821 child's portrait with writing on the back  (Read 511 times)

Offline Kendra71

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1821 child's portrait with writing on the back
« on: Monday 07 June 21 14:08 BST (UK) »
Hello, I am hoping to make sense of this faint writing on the back of a portrait miniature. The portrait is signed "TL" and dated "1821" on the front, bottom right. The back of the frame has writing on it which has suffered through the 200 years. I would be grateful for any help, or even suggestions on how to photograph it. The pics attached are the best I've been able to do from different angles. This might be too far gone, but all thoughts very gratefully received!
At the risk of prejudicing any comments, I can see five lines of text -

1.   Painted by ... (?)
2.   3 Park St Grosvenor (?)
3.   ... B...ll (?)
4.   Sea ... (?)
5.   ... Stratford Hall / Bath / Heath (?)

Online ShaunJ

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Re: 1821 child's portrait with writing on the back
« Reply #1 on: Monday 07 June 21 15:18 BST (UK) »
3 Park Street, Grosvenor Square
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Online ShaunJ

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Re: 1821 child's portrait with writing on the back
« Reply #2 on: Monday 07 June 21 15:19 BST (UK) »
Not sure if this inverted image is any more legible!
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Offline aghadowey

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Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!


Offline Kendra71

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Re: 1821 child's portrait with writing on the back
« Reply #4 on: Monday 07 June 21 15:57 BST (UK) »
Hi ShaunJ, I'm not sure about the inverting, but suggesting "Square" has helped me to move on with Google searches. Thanks.
There was an artist called Thomas Leeming (the TL) who lived in Park St, running past Grosvenor Square at this time. He died the year after. He painted another picture which has a similar gloomy background and stylistic similarities. I'll upload it if I can.

He appears to have painted a lot of subjects in the Hereford area.
So my reading now is...

1.   Painted by TL
2.   3 Park St Grosvenor
3.   Square... B...ll (?)
4.   Sea ... (?)
5.   Hereford Hall / Bath / Heath (?)


Offline Sandblown

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Re: 1821 child's portrait with writing on the back
« Reply #5 on: Monday 07 June 21 16:03 BST (UK) »
If all else fails, in deciphering the writing, light from an Ultra Violet torch ( available from Amazon), might reveal the full wording.
Kirkham, Garlick, Worthington, Shaw, Bamber. Fylde Coast
Naylor/Nailor, Lyons, Wilkinson. Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire
Redfern. Cheshire/Derbyshire
LeFebvere, Lincolnshire

Offline aghadowey

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Re: 1821 child's portrait with writing on the back
« Reply #6 on: Monday 07 June 21 16:06 BST (UK) »
Thomas Leeming at 10 Park St. (not no. 3)- wife from Hereford-
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG189069
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline Kendra71

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Re: 1821 child's portrait with writing on the back
« Reply #7 on: Monday 07 June 21 16:16 BST (UK) »
Thanks aghadowey.

Thomas Leeming had five paintings at the Royal Academy the year after this was painted (and the year of his death).
One of them was "Portrait of Miss Ricketts".
Could that be the name to the right of line 3?

Online ShaunJ

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