Fraenckel, Liepmann - portrait of 19C lady

This miniature portrait is unsigned, but has been attributed to a Danish artist, Liepmann Fraenckel (1772-1857). The sitter is unknown.

Schidlof comments "The miniatures of Liepmann Fraenckel have a vague resemblance to those of Bernard de Guerad, but are often harder and have less quality. The expression is often set, the folds of the clothes lack naturalness."

The miniature was attributed by comparing the close likeness of two very similar portraits of other ladies by Fraenckel, in Volume II of Swedish and Other Nordic Miniatures by Olausson, and which are illustrated there on pages 298 and 300.

However, the distinctive "spotty" manner of painting the background does also have a close similarity to some of the work of the Swedish artist Johan Erik Bolinder (1759-1830), see the lower portrait in Vol I of Olausson, page 133 and the bottom portrait on page 136. 408