WILLIAM WOOD (BRITISH 1769-1810) Portrait miniature of a Gentleman, circa 1795 wearing a blue coat, white waistcoat and red vest, a large white tied cravat Watercolour on ivory Original gold frame with plaited hair border, the reverse glazed to reveal varicoloured locks of hair formed as wheatsheaf tied with seed pearls within gold mount and blue glass border Oval, 64mm (2 3/4 in) high Exhibitions: Comerford Collection at the Irish Architectural Archives, Dublin, 2009 Literature: The Comerford Collection: Portrait Miniatures, (privately published, Dublin, 2009) pp 12, 64 (#289) Suffolk born, Wood entered the Royal Academy schools to begin his formal training in 1785 at the age of sixteen. Little is known about his apprenticeship years but he was quickly established in the profession of miniature painting. It is possible that he is the 'William Wood' exhibiting at the Royal Academy as early as 1788 and was a regular exhibitor throughout his career. He strove to improve the status of portrait miniatures and watercolour portraits and to have such works recognized as 'high art'. In 1807, for example, he was a founder member of the 'New Society of Painters in Miniature and Watercolour'. This society was established to rival the watercolour exhibiting societies, which were dominated by landscape artists.