Bidspirit auction | 'Portrait of Countess Potocka' Hand-Painted

'Portrait of Countess Potocka' Hand-Painted Porcelain Miniature in Gilt Rococo Frame (Signed) - A portrait miniature featuring a hand-painted oval porcelain plaque. The work depicts a woman in 18th-century dress, characterized by powdered hair adorned with a blue ribbon and a lace-trimmed bodice. The plaque is set within a cast metal easel frame featuring a gilt finish and ornate Rococo styling, including scrolling foliate crests and an inner bead-and-reel border. The reverse of the porcelain plaque bears a handwritten inscription in red script reading Grafin Potocka. Several marks are impressed into the white porcelain surface: a small five-pointed star or floral device, a numeral 4, and a capital letter H. A hinged wooden easel stand is attached to the verso of the frame with a metal bracket and two screws. The plaque is held in place by three metal pins. The frame measures approximately 5.5 inches in height and 3.5 inches at the widest point. The cast metal frame shows significant structural damage, including a large break and loss to the upper crest (photo 1) and a break with loss to the lower-left scroll (photo 1, photo 3). The gilt finish displays widespread wear, surface oxidation, and areas of darkening, particularly visible on the lower scrolls and rear of the frame (photo 3, photo 5). The wooden easel stand shows surface wear and abrasions consistent with use (photo 3). The porcelain plaque appears to be in good condition with no visible cracks or chips.