William Alport Sihouette

This silhouette is of the Reverand Thomas Brown of Dalkeith. It is by William Alport (d 1831) as determined by the definitive lines to the rear base of the painting. It is painted on card in black, but not too intense, and is typical in that most of his surviving silhouettes are of men. The shirt frill decoration is yet another Alport trademark, but there is no label au verso. It is framed in a walnut frame and glazed. Alport worked within the Bullock premises in Liverpool before and after the departure of the latter to London. Similar examples can be seen in the illustrations on page 454/5 of McKechnie’s reference book. The dress, hairstyle, details of Rev T Brown and the active period of Alport accurately places this silhouette to 1800-1810.