Berry, I. (SCC Newsletter April 2001)

I. OR J. BERRY fl. 1798- 1800

A RARE ARTIST ON GLASS.

I have illustrated above the only recorded work by Mr. Berry. I must apologise for the quality of the image but it proved difficult to photograph as it is housed in a very deep fruitwood frame. Also I have photographed the unusual label on the back - this has come out slightly better than the original, which has become very dirty over the years. Both silhouette and label are illustrated in Mrs.McKechnie's Book - see p.132 illus.188 and P.577 illus.188 and p.577 illus. 1027. Her entry on the artist is on p.524.

Mr. Berry was first recorded by Jack Pollak (a well-known Collector, who died a few years ago - he introduced me to the S.C.C. and encouraged me to collect seriously) in the Connoisseur magazine of March, 1949 entitled "Fresh Light on Silhouette".

We have no definite dates for Mr.Berry but Mrs. McK. judged that he flourished at the end of the eighteenth century - she based this view on the style of the 'sitter's' hair and clothing. Shortish hair was in vogue at this time - also the classical gown with the high neck. The little round hat was later than those with the high crowns and would suggest 1790's. Further Mrs. McK. suggests that he was probably an itinerant artist - particularly as he did not have a definite address on his label only mentioning London. It is interesting that he produced such an elaborate label but in this connection there is a possibility that he was ? J.Berry a mezzotint engraver recorded by Benezit. Where are other works by him I wonder?

Mrs. McK. records that he painted on the underside of slightly convex glass - however the lady above is painted on flat glass. She has a black face and hat (& locket) but the rest of her costume is painted in a brownish paint with details scratched out with a needle. Details of her hair have been rendered in the same way. Mrs. McK. states that finger printing has been used to show the transparency of her dress - this is not so in my view. I think it is the silk backing to the work that gives this effect. The glass is larger than the photograph above i.e. 3 ¼" by 2½". It is not an expert piece of work in my view but has a quaint charm about it and the 'sitter' looks a homely body! The label is likely to have been engraved by Mr. Berry himself. It shows a figure of Hope on a base. In the background is a ship in a stormy sea. Hope is clothed in neo classic drapery and in the folds of her clothing is an oval cartouche with the words -"Miniatures and Profiles neatly taken by I Berry from London. NB. Profiles put in Lockets, Bracelets etc."