Antique Portrait Miniature Group Druitt Children with Jack The Ripper Murder Connection 1852

If you love great quality Victorian art with a fascinating back story....read on.

This wonderful triple group painting was painted in England in the year 1852. This wonderful family painting features three individual portrait miniatures of three small boy siblings. These three small boys were cousins of a major suspect in the Jack The Ripper Murder case, see more below.

Each portrait has been painted to the highest standard, the attention to detail is incredible. The paintings are on card/paper and are housed behind glass in its original, very decorative, swagged gilt gesso frame.

Family portraits like this are quite unusual, if we look to the reverse, we find the original artist inscription for each painting naming both the sitter and their age. We also find a lock of hair for each sitter and the original artist inscription reading ‘Painted by J.D, January 1852.’ The painting was very likely painted by a close Druitt family member.

This is a fascinating painting. Please find information on each of the sitter’s below, the three eldest boys:

The paintings feature the children of Dr. Robert Druitt (b 1814 – 1883) and Isabella Druitt, nee Hopkinson (b 1823 -d 1899). Dr. Robert Druitt was a distinguished surgeon, medical practitioner and medical writer from London. Robert Druitt was the Uncle of Montague John Druitt (b 1857 – d 1888) who was an English barrister and educator who is well known and documented for being a suspect in the Jack the Ripper, White Chapel, London murders of 1888. The extensive Druitt papers are held by West Sussex Record Office. Robert and Isabella had many children, the children featured in the painting are as follows:

Cuthbert Druitt was born in 1851 in St George, Hanover Square, London, England. Cuthbert was a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and later mining manager at the works of the Malpaso Gold Washing Company. He died in 1876 in Columbia, South America. His wife was called Elizabeth Mary Druitt. Cuthbert has the oldest known grave in the Protestant Cemetery in Honda, South America.

Robert Druitt jnr. was born in 1847 in St George, Hanover Square, London, England. Robert was educated at Westminster and Christchurch, Oxford. Robert was a solicitor in Christchurch, Hampshire, England. He married Alice May Tupper in Kensington in 1882, they had many children. He died in London in 1917.

The Rev. Charles Druitt was born in 1849 in St George, Hanover Square, London, England. Charles was educated at St. Paul's, London and Exeter College, Oxford. Charles was the Vicar of East and West Harnham, Wiltshire. He married Isabel Majendie Hill in Wiltshire in 1888. He died in 1900 in Dorset, England. The Rev. Charles Druitt knew Montague John Druitt personally and is included in many Jack The Ripper topics of discussion relating to Montague.

This is an incredible, original painting with a fascinating history. One could spend many more hours researching each of the sitter’s and their family history.

Measuring: Frame width 11 ¼ inch (29 cm) by height 9 inch (23 cm). Top painting aperture width 2 ½ inch (6.5 cm). Two larger painting aperture width 3 inch (7.5 cm).

Condition: Lightest of surface wear to frame.

Item id:15658