Watercolor On Ivory From The 18th Century Attributed To Christian Richter (1678-1732)

Miniature portrait presumed to be Alexander Pope (1688-1744), renowned English poet, satirist and translator, wearing a blue velvet cap and red jacket, worn open to reveal its pale blue lining; circa 1710 Watercolor on ivory Oval, 7 x 4.5 cm This rare image of a teenage pope shows him with a plump face and healthy complexion. It is known that Pope had his portrait painted at the age of 10, two years before his diagnosis with Pott's disease (tuberculosis of the spine), which left him with a severe hunchback. This notable disfigurement altered his adulthood and his growth was stunted at 4 feet, 6 inches. However, no such anomaly can be detected in this work and so it may be that he recorded Pope before the onset of this affliction. Pope was a precocious child, reading poetry incessantly and learning Latin and Greek from the age of eight. He read Ogilby's translation of Homer when he was about twelve years old. It was at this age that he first ventured into poetry, composing an epic poem entitled "Alexander", which he later burned around 1717. Pope first attracted the attention of the public for his poems in 1709. with his “Pastorales” at the age of nineteen. Alexander Pope transformed his physical marginality into a beacon of creativity where he is today commemorated as the most eminent poet of the 18th century. His boundless cultural contributions among the contemporary intelligentsia have led him to become a famous satirist, a credible translator and an amateur landscaper. UK IVORY SUBMISSION REFERENCE: RFKSXU5W