The Chip Hat

Finely painted on convex glass in black and shades of translucent grey, this silhouette shows a lady in a frill-edged empire-line dress and striking chip hat with a hard crown and narrow brim. The detail of the lady’s curls and hoop earring have been achieved by scratching the paint with a needle.

Gibbs’ silhouettes were originally backed with wax but this was not robust and often cracked becoming unsightly. Here the wax has been replaced with off-white card. The silhouette is housed in the original papier-mâché frame with a star hanger and the artist’s small trade label reverse which helps date the profile to the early 1800s.

Bedfordshire-born Hinton Gibbs took up silhouette painting whilst pursuing a career in the militia. His painting subsequently became a full-time occupation upon his discharge from the militia in 1815. Gibbs moved around the country, advertising locally as he went, and found plenty of work. He was later joined in the business by one of his daughters. A full account of Hinton Gibbs’ career can be enjoyed here.