Artwork
A glass-bangle-seller
A glass-bangle-seller is a paint painting by the Realist artist Unknown. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The person on the right is bare-chested, wearing a white wrap and a hat, carrying colorful bundles over their shoulder.
This painting shows two people standing outside on sandy ground. The person on the left is wearing a dark blue dress with red and yellow trim, holding a stick. The person on the right is bare-chested, wearing a white wrap and a hat, carrying colorful bundles over their shoulder.
The bright colors and simple background focus attention on the two figures. The painting looks like it was made around 1805, showing everyday life.
Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
Overview
This early‑nineteenth‑century canvas portrays a glass‑bangle merchant and his spouse standing on a sandy locale beneath a modest backdrop of palm and other foliage. Rendered in vivid hues, the composition isolates the pair, emphasizing their attire and wares while offering a glimpse into quotidian commerce of the period.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a domestic trading scene: the woman, dressed in a dark blue gown trimmed with red and yellow, holds a staff, while the man, bare‑chested in a white wrap and hat, bears colorful bundles on his shoulder. Their poised stance suggests both partnership and the routine exchange of goods typical of street vendors in the era.
Technique & Style
Executed with a clear, flat colour palette, the painting employs minimal background detail, allowing the figures’ garments and accessories to dominate the visual field. The brushwork is precise yet economical, characteristic of early 1800s genre paintings that favored straightforward representation over elaborate scenery.
History & Provenance
The piece originates from an 1805 album comprising thirty‑six illustrations of various trades, occupations, and costumes. This collective project documented contemporary livelihoods, and the glass‑bangle seller’s portrait was included as part of that systematic visual record. Its provenance traces back to the album’s original compilation, later entering museum collections.
Artist & collection
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Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
