Augustin Edouart Tall Antique Silhouette John Wiltshire

Peggy McClard Antiques

Americana & Folk Art

Rare Stenciled Signature

Trade Label No. 2

Edouart tells us in his A Treatise On Silhouette Likenesses that, after 1827, he adopted a “military standard” for the height of his silhouettes. During his professional career of 1825 through 1827, he made some likenesses on a large or diminutive scale, apparently according to his whim. He explains that many of his clients complained that they had been depicted as too small. See Treatise On Silhouette Likenesses at pg. 12. This silhouette represents that short and rare period where Edouart depicted sitters in different sizes. The figure, identified in later script on the back as John Wiltshire, is a whopping 12” tall (compare to Edouart’s standard size of 8 to 8½”).

The front of the silhouette bears the rare stenciled signature “AUGN. EDOUART, fecit 1827” (the final digit of the date added in ink). The later inscription on the back of the silhouette dates it as 1828 but the fact that it bears Trade Label No. 2 (used in 1826-27 when he worked near Bath) and the note that Mr. Wiltshire was a “friend of Gainsborough” of “Shockerwick Hall nr. Bath” bears out the fact that the date had to be 1826 or 1827. In 1826 and 1827, Edouart worked in and near Bath—in 1827 he worked in Cheltenham. At page 67 of Ancestors in Silhouette by August Edouart, Mrs. Jackson notes “John Wiltshire, Mayor of Bath in 1820, was a very handsome man. In 1826, as an alderman who had passed the chair, Edouart would be highly gratified at having him as sitter. He acted as magistrate for the city of Bath for that division.” This indicates the silhouette was probably done in 1826. The silhouette is representative of Edouart’s very early work as it is a bit less elaborately cut than we normally see. But the buttons and the hands are unmistakably his style and the head is cleverly attached to the body at the back of the neck only.

Framed size is 8" x 14 1/4 in a narrow ebonised frame which is actually very similar to the one pictured in Ancestors in Silhouette on the plate before page 73 (also cut in 1827). It may be that Mrs. Jackson had Mr. Wiltshire and the lady below framed in the early 20th century along with others in her collection. The frame back includes a paper notation saying "Details of the execution of the profile and Monsieur Edouart's techniques and terms on back of card. This gentleman . . . Mr. Wiltshire of Shockerwick Hall, near BATH. ‘friend of Friarbrothers’ copied from back of card dated 1828." The frame bears a label from "The Elm Grove Picture Framing Works. The condition of this silhouette is fair as it has considerable browning to the background paper and spotty lightening to the blackened paper used for the silhouette. It is, however, a great rarity.

(#3820) $1200 Sale Price $795

Please see the Silhouettist Biographies page for more information about Edouart.

Inscriptions on Verso of Frame

Trade Label On Verso of Frame