Lot 55: Frans van der Mijn (Antwerp c. 1719-1793 London)

Frans van der Mijn (Antwerp c. 1719-1793 London)
Portrait of a young lady, bust-length
signed with initials 'F.V.M.' (lower left)
oil on canvas, in a painted oval, en grisaille
21 x 16 3/8 in. (53.3 x 41.6 cm.)

Mrs. H. Cross (according to a label on the reverse).
Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 8 August 1976, lot 63.
with Central Picture Galleries, London, from where purchased by Prof. Julius S. Held in 1976.

Frans was the son of the artist Heroman van der Mijn, by whom he was probably taught. After becoming established as a talented portraitist in Amsterdam, Frans moved to England in 1750, earning admiration in Cambridge and Norwich as well as London. Many of his best portraits are of female sitters, such as the present, charming young lady en grisaille. A portrait of a similarly dressed and posed sitter, identified as Mrs. Crowther, daughter of Samuel Richardson, the author, was sold at Sotheby's in London (29 November 1978).