A late georgian silhouette portrait miniature.
He is reverse painted in watercolour on convex glass with gilt highlights for his buttons and scratching out to outline his collar and button holes. The turned fruitwood ebonised frame is original with the back retaining its original red wax with flowered seal motif (this probably relates to the artist rather than the sitter). The backing paper reads in original cursive ink script “Lieut. Francis Roberts R.N.” and the dates in pencil of 1789-1858 are a bit faint but I think you will be able to make them out. The overall size is 11.8cm x 10.6cm.
Details kindly provided by the owner Michelle Hyde who recently purchased the miniature at auction in Wiltshire - November 2010