Silhouette: Christopher Anstey and his wife Ann Calvert by Jacob Spornberg, painted on glass, 1793.

Museum number

M207

Object

Silhouette: Christopher Anstey and his wife Ann Calvert by Jacob Spornberg, painted on glass, 1793.

Description

Oval portrait of Christopher and Anne Anstey. Painted in black and orange red on glass. Ex. collection of Lady Sackville Knole.Mr Anstey is in profile to the left in a wig, wearing a frilled cravat and a coat. Mrs. Anstey is to the right in a lace cap with ribbons and a frilled collar with a double fringe. Both are rendered in red-brown on a black background with a surround of red-brown and black with a flower motif in Greek style.Christopher Anstey was a poet and co-translator of Gray's Elegy into Latin. He resided in Bath from 1770 until his death and published the New Bath Guide which was very popular. His wife, whom he married in 1756, was the daughter of Felix Calvert of Albury Hall, Hereford.This is one of Sponberg's most important silhouettes and is executed in what he termed his ''Etruscan'' style deriving from classic Greek vases, then thought to be Etruscan. Miniatures of the Ansteys and their family are at Knole.There is a gilt wood frame.Collections: The Sackville Family Knole, Kent, from whom purchased June 1949

Materials

Glass

Inscription

Signed and inscribed: W Spornberg invenit No 5 Lower Church Street, Bath 1793

On display?

Yes

Further description

Simple name

Silhouette

Subject

Conversation Piece

Dimensions

framed: 2.2000cm (d) x 17.0000cm (h) x 20.7000cm (w)
regular: 14.3cm (h) x 10.8cm (w)