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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Canuc on Saturday 13 May 23 23:17 BST (UK)

Title: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Saturday 13 May 23 23:17 BST (UK)
This is a copy of a copy of the original artwork, we don't know who might have the original.

Is there enough clothing to suggest a date when his portrait was created?
And then theirs his hair style and lack of whiskers to consider.

Thoughts on his age would be welcome too.

Look forward to hearing from you
Thank you
Canuc
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: jim1 on Sunday 14 May 23 18:17 BST (UK)
1840's-50's but more likely 50's.
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Monday 15 May 23 02:44 BST (UK)
Jim1
Thank you, I suspected that time period, but a second opinion is most welcome.

Canuc
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: hoobaloo on Tuesday 16 May 23 17:38 BST (UK)
Cleaned it a little but nothing altered, the colours are original. He looks fairly young; mid thirties maybe? regards, John.
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Tuesday 16 May 23 20:52 BST (UK)
Thank you for the colourisation the person I'm asking for will be pleased I think
Canuc
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: hoobaloo on Wednesday 17 May 23 14:49 BST (UK)
Thank you for your reply, but, as I said in my post "original colours"; no colour was added, John.
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Thursday 18 May 23 00:32 BST (UK)
Hoobaloo,
I'm not sure I understand what you're telling me.

With my colour vision deficiency I was not seeing anything more than a line drawing with a colour wash of indeterminate hue. What you achieved is colourization for me, and I liked it.
Canuc
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Neale1961 on Thursday 18 May 23 02:08 BST (UK)
The original drawing is very beautiful, and most skilfully done. A fine portrait. It is a shame you don’t have the original to see the artist’s name, as that might help you with the dating.
The sitter is young, possibly 20s-30s – not easy to be more exact than that.

The strange version posted in reply #3, with intensified colours and blurred detail, in my opinion, is certainly not an enhancement of the original.
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: RJ137 on Thursday 18 May 23 05:08 BST (UK)
Slight enhance
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Friday 09 June 23 19:18 BST (UK)
RJ137,
Thank you
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Ruskie on Saturday 10 June 23 03:36 BST (UK)
An extremely well executed drawing, possibly done by a professional.

Do you know the identity of the sitter?

Someone has obviously taken this photo through glass, so if you can track down that person, they should be able to tell you the location of the portrait when they took the photo.

I agree that it would likely be signed and possibly dated, so well worth a try I think, even if this is only a framed copy of the original, there may be clues.

 It’s a lovely image of a handsome young man.  :)
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Saturday 10 June 23 19:29 BST (UK)
Ruskie,

It's one of those situations where the exact detail is lost in time, and nobody who knew him thought to annotate the back or attach a label to the rear.

The person who I am helping understands him to be family, believes he would be in her pedigree but not sure which iteration of grandfather he might be. I will ask her the questions you set out.

Many thanks
Happy hunting
Canuc
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Ruskie on Sunday 11 June 23 03:09 BST (UK)
I hope you can identify him.

The assumption would be that he was fairly well to do as he is dressed well and has that “air” about him. Sitting for a portrait may be something those with a bit of wealth or standing may do. Knowing occupations of males in the family might help to narrow him down somewhat.

Good luck Canuc.
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Monday 12 June 23 20:12 BST (UK)
Ruskie,

I emailed the person I'm helping, she's not confident. For a start she doesn't know where there was money in her pedigree to pay an artist for their skill.

The picture was in a collection of her mother's papers, but in isolation. She's working on some thoughts.

By posting here to get an opinion of the date of the portrait and the age of the man she hopes she can identify him by elimination. I hope to visit her in a few weeks and have two heads gong on the conundrum, mine with no preconceptions. Sometimes other people's brisk walls are more interesting than your own, and it keeps your skills honed.

Thank you for your efforts, I'll post on here if we think we have him identified.

Happy hunting
Canuc
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: hepburn on Monday 12 June 23 20:37 BST (UK)
https://alchetron.com/cdn/george-richmond-painter-e2adfee4-0649-4ffe-afc3-a478aa8d9e2-resize-750.jpeg

Is the a likeness?
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Monday 12 June 23 21:35 BST (UK)
Hepburn,

I don't think so your man has a cleft chin, and I think he's a younger man at a later time due to the cravat.

Happy hunting
Canuc
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Ruskie on Tuesday 13 June 23 03:55 BST (UK)
Was the picture that was in your friend’s mother’s collection the original or a copy?

In your research if none of the direct males look likely, perhaps investigate sons in law?
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Treetotal on Tuesday 13 June 23 15:18 BST (UK)
It looks like a Pastel Portrait on Ingres paper. I wouldn't put his age any early than late teens, early 20s. he is very fresh faced.
I have read of people swapping trades, for example, "if you could fix my fence, I would do a portrait of your son.
I have seen portraits of people on here who ask the same question of how their relative could afford to have a portrait done.
There is also a possibly that it was done by a Family member.
Carol
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Canuc on Tuesday 13 June 23 18:24 BST (UK)
Treetotal,

"It looks like a Pastel Portrait on Ingress paper. "
Interesting observation, does the paper type suggest an amateur rather than a professional artist?

The barter idea is a logical way round the how was it paid for question.

Thank you
Canuc
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Treetotal on Tuesday 13 June 23 22:52 BST (UK)
I am an amateur artist and use Ingres paper for chalk and charcoal drawings, or, oil or chalk pastel as it has a grainy surface that holds the pastels well.
It could be used by both amatuer and professionals artists.
You may want to look at early census returns for Family who may have listed themselves as "Artist" as their occupation.
In the 1850s, photography was in its infancy so portraits were the only means of creating a likeness.
Carol
Title: Re: A date for this gentlemen's portrait
Post by: Ruskie on Wednesday 14 June 23 02:29 BST (UK)
Good observation about this being pastel Carol.

I did wonder if sitting for the portrait might be a favour for an artist friend with no payment involved.

I was hoping that the original might contain a signature somewhere, perhaps even hidden by a mount or the frame. It’s worth looking at the back too just in case.  :)

Professional or amateur, the artist was very competent. Sitter has a very young face but a slightly receeding hairline, not that that means he older. I agree with Carol’s estimate of early 20s.