Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering this fine watercolour portrait by an artist using the monogram SC, SG or those letters in reverse. The portrait is best length, and depicts Eliza Laurie in widow's weeds. She had brown eyes and white upswept hair, with a black widow's cap and black veil falling over her shoulders and her black dress. She has a white blouse with a high frill as a collar and is wearing a bead necklace.

Eliza Laurie, nee Christie, was born in 1825, the daughter of Robert Christie of Edinburgh the Manager of the Scottish Equitable Life Assurance Society. In 1849, she married David Crawford Laurie, (1824-1905) an MD or Doctor of Medicine, who was living in Bath at the time of their marriage, although he was also Scottish born. By the Census of 1881 the family had been living in Kensington for about thirty years and had had five children, Robert, who died young, William Frederick, Gertrude Eliza and Henry Montague. Gertrude Eliza (1860-1045) married Courtenay Carew Robinson of Calcutta (died 1923 )in 1885 and they had a daughter Gertrude Barbara Robinson, born in 1895 in Calcutta.

In the Census of 1901, David and Eliza were back in Edinburgh, living at 3, Rochester Terrade, Newington, Edinburgh and David was listed as a retired physician. . In 1905, David died, so we think that thise portrait was painted a short while after his death. Unfortunately, we cannot find a listing by Eliza's passing.

In 1917, Gertrude Barbara married Gerald Frayne Randall aaged 26. When he died in 1941, he left, after some legacies, A third of the resideue of his not inconsiderable estate to a relative of his wife, Margaret Zillah Sale (Sayle), one third to Barbara Furiani and one third to his goddaughter Johanna C. Thompson.. In 1947, Gertrude Barbara Furiani of 61 Victoria Road, Kensington W.8. applied to be readmitted to British Nationality. What we have been unable to find is where the name Furiani comes into the story.

On the backing board are three inscriptions. the first explaining that it was her grandmother Eliza daughter of Robert Christie and wife of Dr. David Laurie, signed Barbara Furiani. The second which says 'For my nephew and, in italian, per mio nipote, Michael Carew Robinson' also signed Barbara Furiani. Lower down, in a different hand, it simply says 'For Barbara'. Possible the last one was written by her mother Gertrude Eliza, but we will never know for sure.

The portrait has been newly remounted in gold acid-free mountboard, and is framed in its original oval Rowley Gallery gilt frame, as shown.

Image size: 13 1/2 x 10 3/4 inches - 34.25cm x 27.35cm

Frame size: 19 3/4 x 17 1/4 inches - 50.2cm x 45.8cm

Medium: Watercolours on paper

Condition: Very good. There is no foxing or damage. The mount is new and the frame is in very good condition, complete with its original backing board.