Portrait miniature of Hilda Traquair, age five by Phoebe Anna Traquair (1852-1936). Watercolour on paper. 8.5 x 6.8 cm. Framed: 14.5 x 12.5 cm. Fleming Collection, Id. 3263. Photograph and comment below by Jacqueline Banerjee; photograph taken with permission, for the review of the exhibition linked below. [Click on the images to enlarge them.]
In this exquisite miniature, the artist's child is the epitome of freshness and innocence. She is posed centrally against an angular path and distant formal gardens, giving even such a small work a surprising power and sense of depth. Her expression is solemn as she holds a single flower, perhaps a poppy, probably from the meadow rather than cultivated in a garden like the one behind her. Her bobbed fair hair, colourful bead necklace, and white dress with contrasting reddish-brown band, all add to the immediate impression made by this arresting miniature.
Links to related material
- "A Window into Scottish Art" at the Lightbox, Woking (23 April - 3 July 2022) [Review]
- Enamels designed and executed by Phoebe Anna Traquair
Bibliography
Lightbox Final Fleming Object List (provided by The Lightbox, Woking, for reviewers of the exhibition there).
Created 26 June 2022