Lot 21
TWO PORTRAIT MINIATURES OF A GENTLEMAN
LATE 17TH CENTURY
Auction: Day One | Wed 12th November 2025 at 10am | Lots 1 to 338
Description
both oval, painted on copper or vellum, by repute titled as a ‘Rob White’, possibly Robert White (1645-1703), depicting the same gentleman with long flowing dark hair, a high wide white collar and a black doublet, one set inside a period glazed gilt brass locket with suspension loop, the other set inside a Georgian yellow metal locket
Dimensions
each miniature 6cm high, 4.5cm wide
Provenance
Part of the former contents of Poltalloch House, Kilmartin, Argyll; designed by William Burn in the Scottish Baronial style and built circa 1849-1853 for the Malcolm family
Footnote
The gentleman in these two miniatures has a large high bridged nose, prominent thick dark eyebrows with large lidded eyes and long flowing dark hair, all three of these features are also seen in the line engraving of Robert White by G. Barrett, published 1794, in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG D30441). A fine self-portrait plumbago miniature by Robert White (1645-1703) resided in the collection of the Dukes of Portland, dated 1679 (A Dictionary of British Miniature Painters Vol. I, by Daphne Foskett, Faber & Faber Ltd, London 1972). The image of this miniature (Vol.II, Plate 386, No. 940) does have similar features to both of the miniatures in the present lot.