March - Three interesting miniature portraits added

It gets harder and harder to find interesting portraits, as there is usually much competition from other collectors for miniature portraits which are a little different. Thus, the three additions this month are fortunate and welcome as being of above average interest. One British, one European and one American.

The British addition to the collection is a fine miniature portrait (110mm x 80mm) by an artist only identified as "B. H." The sitter was unidentified when purchased, but by painstaking searching on the Internet and interpretation of his medals and decorations, his identity has become clear as being Field Marshal Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE (13 March 1857 – 16 July 1932), a British colonial official and soldier born in Torquay who commanded the British Second Army in World War I and later served as High Commissioner of the British Mandate for Palestine. For more about him see View 1405

Another fortunate purchase for this collection is a miniature portrait by Domenico Bossi (1765-1853) an Italian artist born in Trieste, but who worked in several different cities. For more about the portrait see View 1409

The miniature was sold as unsigned, but there appeared to be a signature and on opening the miniature the signature was indeed very faint, but by enhancing the sharpness and contrast of the image, it became possible to read the signature as "D Bossi 1795". 

Schidlof describes Domenico Bossi (1765-1853) "as one of the best miniaturists of his period; in particular his works of the 18C are remarkable for expression and relief. In his first period he painted the shadows in surfaces using contrasts of sometimes hard light parts." 

The third miniature is a self-portrait by the Argentinian artist, Luna Alston de Gallegos, for another self-portrait and other examples by her see View  This is very special, as by an amazing chance, it was a second self-portrait of Luna.

On the obverse it is inscribed "Luna 1914" and on the reverse it is inscribed " Luna Alston de Gallegos painted by Luna June 1914". It therefore represents her at 33 years of age.  1404

Self- portraits are special, as they must have been treasured possessions of the artists concerned. They help to show the character of the artist, and they complement any miniature portraits by the artist of other sitters.