Old Master Paintings and Portrait Miniatures

Old Master Paintings and Portrait Miniatures

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 424. Portraits of Emilia Belsches (1730–1807), half-length, in a silver embroidered dress with a book in her hands; and her sister, Mary Belsches, half-length, in a pink dress.

The Property of a Gentleman

David Martin

Portraits of Emilia Belsches (1730–1807), half-length, in a silver embroidered dress with a book in her hands; and her sister, Mary Belsches, half-length, in a pink dress

Lot Closed

April 28, 03:05 PM GMT

Estimate

3,000 - 5,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

The Property of a Gentleman

David Martin

Anstruther, Fife 1737 - 1798 Edinburgh

Portraits of Emilia Belsches (1730–1807), half-length, in a silver embroidered dress with a book in her hands; and her sister, Mary Belsches, half-length, in a pink dress


each inscribed on the reverse with the identity of the sitter

a pair, both oil on canvas

unframed each: 75.5 x 62.5 cm.; 29¾ x 24⅝ in.

framed each: 92.2 x 80 cm.; 36⅜ x 31½ in.

2

The Forbeses of Pitsligo, Fettercairn House;

By whom sold, London, Sotheby's, 28 March 2017, lot 321;

Where acquired by the present owner.

List of Portraits at Fettercairn House, 1924, pp. 7 and 12, respectively (both listed in the Long Passage).
Both the inscriptions on the reverse of these paintings and the 1924 inventory of portraits at Fettercairn record these sitters as being Emilia and Mary, daughters of John Belsches of Invermay (1710–1753), although Emilia Belsches is commonly recorded as his only child to survive into adulthood, from his first wife, Mary Stuart (d. 1739). Emilia married William Belsches of Tofts (1717–1753). A duplicate of the present portrait of Emilia is recorded in the 1924 inventory (p. 12, Long Passage).