About this lot

Description

Portrait of Lieutenant General Christopher Jeaffreson (1761-1824) half-length, in the uniform of an officer in the East Norfolk militia oil on canvas 76.5 x 64cm; sold with a contemporary pen and ink and watercolour representation of the Jeaffreson of Dullingham coat-of-arms, 11 x 7.2cm (2)The sitter was at this stage a Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Reserve Battalion formed in July 1803 until it became the 4th Garrison Battalion in October 1804, as the silver badge on his sword belt with “4 Reserve” indicates. The mourning band worn by the sitter on his left arm over his uniform is for the sitter’s only sibling Sarah-Elizabeth, who had died on 11th May 1804, thus dating this portrait between that date and October of the same year.  We are most grateful to Christopher Bryant for his assistance with this catalogue entry.  Provenance: By descent from the sitter, great-great-great-great-grandfather of the present owner Condition report: Oil on a twill weave canvas which has been lined. The twill weave is now evident on the texture of the paint due to lining. There are drying cracks in the lighter paint passages which would have formed as the paint layer dried. Overall the paint layers are in a good condition. Areas of retouching are mainly located in the background and are slightly darker than the original but acceptable. The varnish is yellowed and matte with a layer of dust across the surface. The gilding on the frame is worn in many areas but stable overall.

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