EARLY 18TH CENTURY PORTRAIT OF JUDITH MORICE - ATTRIBUTED TO ENOCH SEEMAN (1694-1744)
Period Portraits are proud to offer for your consideration, this vibrant and fine quality 18th century portrait of the elegant Judith Morice (1710 -1743) attributed to Enoch Seeman (1694-1744)
The attractive young sitter stands in front of red drapery leaning upon a pillar wearing the most fashionable of costumes. Her shimmering blue silk dress has scalloped sleeves and a laced bodice as well as finely worked lace collar and cuffs. At her narrow waist is a tiny white silk bow, and at her bosom is a larger bow which contains a pearl drop. There are also pearls in her elegantly upswept hair. The result is a fine, richly coloured and remarkably charming early 18th century portrait.
Enoch Seeman (1694 - 1744) was born in 1694 at Danzig in Germany, where his father was settled as a painter. It is possible that the famous German ‘virtuoso’ painter, Balthasar Denner, who received some of his early instruction in painting at Danzig, may have been a pupil of Seeman's father, for some of Seeman's early paintings were executed in imitation of Denner's manner. Among these were a portrait of himself at the age of nineteen, and an old woman's head in which the wrinkles, hair, fabric of clothes, are delineated in the minute manner which is seen in Denner's works.
Seeman was brought by his father, when young, to London, and practised there as a portrait-painter with great success. He resided in St. Martin's Lane, and at first styled himself ‘Enoch Seeman, junior.’ He was a good portrait-painter, and his portraits of ladies were much admired. His portraits or portrait-groups were sometimes on a very large scale, such as the imposing picture of the Lapland giant, Gaianus, painted in 1734, now at Dalkeith Palace, and the family group of Sir John Cust at Belton House, Grantham.
The artist frequently painted his own portrait, in which he is seen in an animated attitude, with long flowing hair. One example is in the royal picture gallery at Dresden, and was engraved by J. G. Schmidt. Another, with his daughter in boy's clothes, was at Strawberry Hill. A portrait by him of Sir Isaac Newton, formerly in the possession of Thomas Hollis, F.S.A., was engraved in mezzotint by J. MacArdell. Seeman also painted George II, Queen Caroline (a portrait of whom by him is in the National Portrait Gallery), and other members of the royal family. He died suddenly in 1744. His son, Paul Seeman, painted portraits and still life, and his three brothers were all painters and ingenious artists, one of whom, Isaac Seeman, died in London on 4 April 1751.
Judith Morice (1710 -1743) was the second daughter of Humphry Morice of Werrington, near Launceston, Cornwall. She married Whig politician Sir George Lee on on 5 June 1742. Also painted by Alan Ramsey as Diana (Virginia Museum of Fine arts) she died on 19 July 1743, aged 33, and is buriedd in the vault of the Lee family in Hartwell Church.
This fine painting is in an excellent state of conservation and is presented ready two hang in a fine quality Lely style frame.
Higher resolution images on request.
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Canvas : 44” x 38" / 114cm x 197cm.
Frame: 52.5 x 45.5 inches / 133cm x 116cm.
ON HOLD
Price: £12,750