Gold Leafed Early Miniature Painting on Laquered Papier Mache in Daguerrotype Frame alligator paint with this piercing dark blue

with this piercing dark blue eyes and straight line of a red mouth

horsehair bristles

Are they young friends or young lovers

marked MBW USA on their bottoms

Lignum vitae is a gorgeous and rather miraculous very hard wood

Gold Leafed Early Miniature Painting on Laquered Papier Mache in Daguerrotype Frame alligator paint with this piercing dark blueA curious thing, which I purchased from a seller who knew nothing about it, but found it at an old estate. I believe it is quite an old painting, early 19th century I would guess, executed on what appears to be a gold leafed, black laquered paper mch (such as that one finds antique snuff boxes made of) surface. I think the two layered gold toned frame, with glass, is likely a later addition, as the inner frame conceals a little of the the painting,