The Red Boy (Portrait of Master Charles William Lambton)
Decorative print/Oleograph on textured board • After Sir Thomas Lawrence
Style & Movement
Regency Era/Romanticism (original style); vintage home decor (this specific item)
Medium & Technique
Color photomechanical reproduction (offset lithography or oleograph) designed to mimic oil painting texture
Creation Period
Mid-20th Century (reproduction of an 1825 original)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 24 x 20 inches including frame; Portrait orientation
Subject Description
A young boy dressed in a red velvet suit with an open collar, seated outdoors on a rocky outcrop under a moonlit or dusk sky. He is depicted in a pensive, melancholic pose characteristic of the Romantic movement's idealization of childhood.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; the print shows surface grime and possible fading, while the frame has significant gesso loss and cracked paint.
Estimated Market Value
$30 - $75 USD
Auction Estimate
$20 - $50 USD
Provenance History
Mass-produced commercial decorative art common in mid-century households; no specific prestigious provenance indicated.
Art Historical Significance
The original 1825 painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence was the first work of art to be featured on a British postage stamp and remains an icon of British Romantic portraiture. This item is a decorative reproduction illustrating the work's enduring popularity in the 20th century.
Notable Features
The frame consists of a multi-part construction including a wide oak-grain inner border and a white-washed floral outer border, typical of mid-century 'repro' framing styles.
Condition Issues
The outer white-painted decorative molding of the frame is severely chipped with large areas of missing ornamentation. The print surface shows age-related darkening and lack of depth compared to an original oil.
Conservation Recommendations
Stable environmental conditions; light dusting. The frame requires significant repair of the plaster/gesso if aesthetic restoration is desired. Not worth professional conservation costs relative to market value.