Calling all history buffs! Can you decipher this writing and painting?

[OwlChops]

Hopefully the photos will attach before too long - I know MNHQ take time to approve photos at the moment

It's a watercolour (I believe) portrait of a lady. Early Victorian I'd say and perhaps a lady in mourning as she's in black

Please have a look at the photos showing the writing. I think the first word is ' Please' but I'm not sure. And does it say 'Mrs Bentham' in the corner?

Thanks for any help

It says "Please touch up where damaged"

I think it says “please touch up where damaged”

It says ' Please touch up where damaged'. Mrs Bentham.

Fourth word is where.

Touch up?

Damaged

Of course it does! You're all amazing

I bought it together with another painting ... they came as a pair and if you take a look at this pic, it's clearly a Georgian gentleman. I wonder if they're related? Father and daughter perhaps? No writing on this one

'Please touch up where damaged' And I think it's 'Mr' Bentham.

Thank you everyone.

I just couldn't get my eye in!

Agree on 'please touch up where damaged' but is it Mr rather than Mrs? I can't see an s!

The lady's picture looks a bit like a colourised photo, is there a blemish on her cheek?

Ohhh, how interesting! I've been looking at some folk working with the Benthams.

That picture does look a fair bit like Jeremy B.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Bentham

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Bentham

@GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut I don't 'think' it's been colourised tbh. I think that's my lighting. Her cheeks haven't been touched up that I can see looking at it, no more than they may have been originally. Can't completely rule it out though

She looks old enough to be his mother.

I'm not sure colourised is the right word, I was just thinking about it! But that process of 'filling in' with coloured paint/watercolour iykwim.

@TressiliansStone I was hoping you'd pop up! I'd forgotten your user name but you've been really helpful in the past to me with my various history bits and pieces. I'm sure you helped me with my letter that mentioned 'Old Trot!'

God I'd love it if it was Jeremy Bentham. I bought them as a pair of paintings so they came together but they are clearly different periods - perhaps only by a few decades but definitely they have a different feel to each other

But I can't swear to the fact they are a pair in real life by a familial link

Good to see you again – with another of your wonderful finds!

Somehow I managed to put an image of Samuel in my post above, so here's Jeremy.

Gosh he does look a bit like Jeremy doesn’t he. I went to UCL so I am familiar with old Jeremy B

Though a little worse for the wear, I dare say, @Thwart .

I can see it perhaps ... the mouth especially and the portrait I have in front of me has clearly been sympathetically painted 😀

We can also presume that this is a man of some importance due to how he's dressed - the white cravat and the big black coat. Plus he's being painted by someone

@Thwart I'm just reading about what JB had done with his body after death.

Blimey!

Well now.

Here's a tableau including Samuel Bentham in older age:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Men_of_Science_Living_in_1807-8_by_Sir_John_Gilbert.jpg

And here's a sketch with a key:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Men_of_Science_Living_in_1807-8_by_Sir_John_Gilbert.jpg#/media/File:Memoirs_of_the_distinguished_men_of_science_Wellcome_L0030861.jpg

The sketch isn't identical to the finished work, but I think no 27, standing centred under the mirror, is still Sam Bentham just facing the other way.

Doesn't Sam look like Jeremy! The clothing of several of these gentleman is right for your chap, too.

Sam Bentham married and had children, so there's the distinct possibility of a grouping like you have, of papa or grandpapa Sam (or gt-uncle Jeremy) plus a female descendant.

Of course, as you say, we can't be sure there actually is a relationship between the portraits.

Samuel Bentham drawn c1795–1800 (so aged 40-ish):
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw00520/Samuel-Bentham

Looks less like your image, wrt the nose.

What fascinating images. I've just spent the best part of an hour educating myself on a couple of fellas I knew nothing about previously!

You're right though - the image of Sir Sam just isn't close enough. Jeremy is a lot closer

It's a shame that nothing is written on the back of the male portrait and I would have no idea how they came to be together as a pair

I've found Sam & Jezza's father, Jeremiah Bentham, apparently still alive and living in Queen's Square Place, St James's parish, London, in 1791 when Sam attends a levee at court.

So depending what MN historical fashion experts advise, I think this could potentially even be a portrait of their father in old age.

Though naturally other Benthams are available.

In the usual way, those of a class to be visible in their businesses or general doings, are also of a class to afford portraits. I've found a university printer in Cambridge and some bankers going bust in Chatham and Sheerness.