Lot 769: JOHANN HEINRICH HURTER (1734-1799)

A young lady called Mary Nesbitt (1735-1825) as Innocence, facing left over her left shoulder in white dress with yellow-bordered scarf, matching ribbon in her upswept powdered curled hair, her left hand clasping a dove; cloudy sky background signed and dated on the counter-enamel 'I. H. Hurter. Fecit Londini. 1783.' enamel on copper oval, 21/4 in. (57 mm.) high, fluted silver-gilt bezel with pierced rose-cut diamond-set ribbon-twist silver border with ribbon-tie surmount, glazed reverse to show signature PROVENANCE Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, London, 29 October 1973, lot 32 (sitter unidentified). Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 9 July 1986, lot 141 (to Dreesmann). Dr Anton C. R. Dreesmann (inventory no. F-162). NOTES This is after the oil on canvas painting by Reynolds in the Wallace Collection, inventory no. P43, which was purchased by the 4th Marquess of Hertford in 1859 as 'Mrs Nesbitt, the actress'. Reynolds painted Mary Nesbitt as Circe in 1781. From 1771, Mary Davis, wife of Alexander Nesbitt, was the acknowledged mistress of the 3rd Earl of Bristol. She lived at Norwood House, Streatham, from 1770.