This “Miniature Turk” may have been made by the Russian Imperial Factory. I make my case by comparing it to two other miniatures I attributed to the IPF in March and April of last year. Both are archived and searchable.
Those others were titled “Porthos” and “Pierrot Astride a Drum”. There was a marked Porthos like this unmarked one in Christie’s Gallerie Popoff Sale of 2009. That one had the IPF mark for Nicholas I, which dated it 1825 to 1855. The attribution for Pierrot was based on direct comparison with the Porthos as it is in the present case. Both these miniatures were from the same lot of five.
The similarities were obvious when I first saw this tiny Turkish gentleman listed. Here was the same style of gilded red base with similar attention to detail in form and surface. Very much the same feeling as the other two.
There are recorded examples of similar Orientalist miniatures on different bases made by the Russian Imperial Factory. The precedence is there.
As always, I am on the lookout for the proof one way or the other.
5.5 cm in height. Dating 1825 to 1855.
