Toothless Granny!

The toothless old lady pictured in this silhouette makes a refreshing change from the usual “pretty young lady” portrait more often seen. Having said that, she may only be in her forties!

It is though the detail in this silhouette that attracts the eye, from the carving on the armchair and the tassel on the cushion to the border on her shawl and the lacing on the chair cover.

The use of colour on this silhouette suggests it may have been cut by William Henry Dyer Beaumont. Not much is known about his life: he was actively cutting silhouettes during the 1830s and 1840s and has traditionally been associated with Cheltenham. The 1851 census reveals that William Beaumont, a 46 year old artist born in Cambridge, was then lodging in Cheltenham. He is probably also the William Henry Dyer Beaumont who died in Bath in November 1852 aged 48.

The silhouette is housed in a handsome rosewood frame with a glit slip and, apart from the usual light age-browning, is in good condition.