id:			123418
accession number:	1943.649
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1943.649
updated:		2025-02-09 01:01:37.815000

Portrait of a Woman, 1790s. Andrew Plimer (British, 1763–1837). Watercolor on ivory in a period gold frame; framed: 8.4 x 6.8 cm (3 5/16 x 2 11/16 in.); sight: 7.1 x 6 cm (2 13/16 x 2 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Edward B. Greene Collection 1943.649

title:				Portrait of a Woman
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			1790s
creation date earliest:		1790
creation date latest:		1799
current location:		
creditline:			The Edward B. Greene Collection
copyright:			

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culture:	England, 18th century
technique:	watercolor on ivory in a period gold frame
department:	European Painting and Sculpture
collection:	P - British before 1800
type:		Portrait Miniature
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

* Andrew Plimer (British, 1763–1837)  - artist
Born the sons of a clockmaker, Nathaniel Plimer and his younger brother Andrew initially trained in their father's profession, although they grew restless with this trade, and ran off to live with Gypsies for two years. By 1781, they were together in London, and determined to practice art. Both took up residence with established artists. Nathaniel worked as a servant to the enamellist, Henry Bone, whereas Andrew became the valet to the portrait and miniature painter, Richard Cosway. 

Cosway discovered Andrew copying one of his miniatures and introduced him to miniature painting. Andrew assimilated his master's airy execution and adapted Cosway's linear brushwork which leaves much of the bare ivory visible. He also employed Cosway's use of large, expressive eyes which made his miniatures appear soulfully elegant, earning him high praise amongst legions of admirers. A quick study, Andrew set up his own studio by 1786 and he exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1786-1830. 

Andrew Plimer's works fall into two phases. In the first, his sitters appear more naturalistically rendered than those painted after around 1789. During the earlier period he frequently included his initials, "A.P.," on the front of the miniature, followed by a date. By contrast, he did not sign or date works in the second phase. Furthermore, in Andrew's second phase of work, he reduced his palette and perhaps due to his high output, sitters share many visual characteristics; in particular, his women have elongated necks, long noses and large appealing eyes.
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measurements: Framed: 8.4 x 6.8 cm (3 5/16 x 2 11/16 in.); Sight: 7.1 x 6 cm (2 13/16 x 2 3/8 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Disembodied: Portrait Minatures and their Contemporary Relatives
	opening date:   2013-11-10T00:00:00
	<i>Disembodied: Portrait Minatures and their Contemporary Relatives</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 10, 2013-February 16, 2014).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

* {'description': '<em>Main Gallery Rotation (Gallery 202), </em>The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (January 5, 2009 - April 6, 2009).', 'opening_date': '2009-01-05T00:00:00'}

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PROVENANCE

	(Sale: Christie's London, November 1929).
	date: 1929
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	(Leo Schidlof (1886-1966), Paris, France, sold to Edward B. Greene).
	date: -1930
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	Edward B. Greene (1878-1957), Cleveland, OH, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art
	date: 1930-1943
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
	date: 1943-
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact:


digital description:


wall description:

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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Portrait Miniatures: The Edward B. Greene Collection.</em> Cleveland OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1951
	page number: 	Reproduced: p. 29, no. 28, pl. XXI
	url:		https://archive.org/details/PortraitMiniatures/page/n67

	Cleveland Museum of Art, and Alan Chong.<em> European &amp; American Painting in the Cleveland Museum of Art: A Summary Catalogue.</em> Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1993.
	page number: 	p. 301
	url:		

	Korkow, Cory, and Dario Robleto. <em>Disembodied: Portrait Miniatures and Their Contemporary Relatives</em>. 2013.
	page number: 	Mentioned: p.83
	url:		

	Korkow, Cory, and Jon L. Seydl. <em>British Portrait Miniatures: The Cleveland Museum of Art. </em>2013.
	page number: 	Cat. no. 55, pp. 222-223
	url:		

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1943.649/1943.649_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1943.649/1943.649_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1943.649/1943.649_full.tif