John Edmund Halpin (Irish, b.1764)

John Edmund Halpin (Irish, b.1764)
Portrait miniature of a gentleman wearing a buttoned black coat, white ruffled chemise and tied cravat, his hair worn en queue
signed and dated 'I.E.H./1780', miniature on ivory, oval
6.1 x 4.8cm, in an engraved gold frame, reverse with blue glass border around empty aperture, tested as approximately 9ct gold

Provenance: Bonhams London, 27 April 2005, lot 68.

Halpin was born in Dublin and studied under his father Patrick Halpin, F R West and J J Barralet. He moved to London to pursue a career as an actor, but when this failed, he returned to Dublin and worked as a successful miniaturist. Later in life, he moved back to London and continued painting miniatures.