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Not on display

Miniature

1736 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Frances, Lady Carteret (1693/4-1794) was the first wife of John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690-1763) - an influential statesman in the House of Lords.

Continental artists first introduced enamel painting to England in the 17th century. But it was in the early 18th century that it became fashionable. The young German Christian Friedrich Zincke dominated the market in London. It was Zincke who trained a number of English artists, including William Prewett and probably Abraham Seaman. Most artists working in enamel were taught by an experienced enameller. It is not known who trained Gervase Spencer this difficult art, but he later taught Henry Spicer, who in turn taught William Birch. In 1794 Birch successfully established himself in America as an enamel painter.

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Enamel on copper, engraved silver-gilt frame
Brief description
Enamel miniature on copper of Frances, Lady Carteret, in an engraved silver-gilt frame, England, 1736, by Abraham Seaman.
Physical description
Oval miniature portrait of Frances, Lady Carteret wearing a gold dress, a rose coloured shawl and with posies in her hair. The miniature is enamel on copper and the frame is of silver-gilt engraved with an inscription.
Dimensions
  • Height: 7.97cm
  • Width: 6.4cm
  • Depth: 1.29cm
Updated with measurements taken 29/07/08
Marks and inscriptions
  • Engraved 'Frances Worseley Countess of Granville by A. Seeman' (On reverse of frame)
  • Signed, dated and inscribed 'R.t Hon.ble Francis Lady Carteret 1713 A. Seaman 1736' (On the counter enamel)
Gallery label
(2024)
9. Frances, Lady Carteret, later Countess Granville, 1736
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.272-2008
(2009)
Frances, Lady Carteret, later Countess Granville and Lady Thynne
1736

Frances, Lady Carteret (1693/4–1743) was the first wife
of John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763)
and an influential statesman in the House of Lords.

England; Abraham Seaman (active 1724–53)
Enamel on copper in gilded silver frame
Engraved on reverse
‘Frances Worseley Countess of Granville by A. Seeman’;
signed, dated and inscribed on counter-enamel
‘R.t Hon.ble Francis Lady Carteret 1713 A. Seaman 1736’
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.272-2008
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Object history
Provenance: The Earls Spencer. S.J. Phillips, London, 1979.
Subject depicted
Summary
Frances, Lady Carteret (1693/4-1794) was the first wife of John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690-1763) - an influential statesman in the House of Lords.

Continental artists first introduced enamel painting to England in the 17th century. But it was in the early 18th century that it became fashionable. The young German Christian Friedrich Zincke dominated the market in London. It was Zincke who trained a number of English artists, including William Prewett and probably Abraham Seaman. Most artists working in enamel were taught by an experienced enameller. It is not known who trained Gervase Spencer this difficult art, but he later taught Henry Spicer, who in turn taught William Birch. In 1794 Birch successfully established himself in America as an enamel painter.

Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Bibliographic references
  • Catalogue of the pictures at Althorp House. Privately Printed, 1831, p. 31.
  • The Burlington Fine Art Exhibition Catalogue, London, 1889, p. 93, no. 54.
  • Coffin, Sarah and Bodo Hofstetter. Portrait Miniatures in Enamel. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd. in association with the Gilbert Collection, 2000. 168 p., ill. Cat. no. 48, pp. 99-100. ISBN 0856675334.
Other numbers
  • 1996.772.1 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
  • MIN 7 - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • 1996.791.1 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
  • MIN 26 - Arthur Gilbert Number
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.272-2008

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Record createdJune 26, 2008
Record URL
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