This mid-19th-century miniature, or glass-mounted piece, set as a brooch, depicts a miniature pastoral landscape, framed by an oval gilded metal mount decorated with scrollwork and plant motifs. A mother-of-pearl plate protects the glass-mounted piece.
This landscape is reminiscent of the Dutch paintings of Ruisdael or Hobbema, which inspired French painters in the first half of the 19th century. A country house with a sloping roof stands beside a path where small figures pass one another. A large tree stands to the right, whilst a river and boats can be seen in the background. The brown and golden tones lend this scene a peaceful atmosphere.
This technique involves painting on the reverse side of a glass plate. The image is viewed from the other side. The artist first paints the details and highlights, then the colours, and finally the background. They must also bear in mind that the image will appear inverted.
As this technique does not require firing, it demands precision: once covered, the details are difficult to correct. A chiselled, gold-coloured metal plate protects the glass-mounted insert.
Period: mid-19th century.
Some flaking on the right. Signs of wear.