Mid-Victorian Lady In White Lace Dress By John Wood

Mid-Victorian Lady in White Lace Dress by John Wood

An elegant British Victorian portrait by John Wood (1801–1870), dated 1857 and traditionally identifying the sitter as Mrs George Wood, Sarah Sophia Wood, née Clark.

The sitter appears quarter-length within an oval composition. Her softly modelled face, dark hair, pale lace-trimmed dress and narrow black ribbon create a beautifully restrained image characteristic of accomplished mid-nineteenth-century portraiture.

Mrs Wood has traditionally been described as John Wood’s sister-in-law, giving the painting the particularly intimate character of a family portrait.

The stretcher verso retains the historic handwritten identification:

“Portrait of Mrs George Wood / John Wood / 1857”

The painting is unsigned to the front.

Provenance

By descent in the artist’s family.

Hansons Auctioneers & Valuers, *The Library Auction – Including Rare & Collectable*, 5 September 2023, Lot 151.

Thereafter curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Dimensions

Canvas approximately 50 × 37.5 cm.

Framed approximately 79 × 68 × 5 cm.

Condition Report

Good, honest condition consistent with age, including craquelure and minor surface marks. The elaborate gilt frame displays characteristic age-related wear, chips and small losses.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available.

Owing to the substantial dimensions and weight of the framed portrait, it will be professionally packaged using appropriate protective materials and dispatched fully insured.

International buyers are welcome. Please contact us for a destination-specific delivery quotation or to discuss any particular shipping requirements.

Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution

The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.

Attribution and Research

The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market.

These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations.

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®

Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art.

Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. We are committed to offering collectors works of artistic and historical merit accompanied by transparent provenance research, detailed catalogue descriptions and professional, client-focused service.

Additional photographs and further information are available upon request.