Circle of Franz Xaver Winterhalter – Portrait of Anna Thillon [Sophie Ann Hunt], 19th century oil on canvas, 65cm x 54.5cm, within a gilt composition frame. Note: Anna Thillon, born Sophie Anne Hunt on February 12, 1819, in London, was a noted 19th-century opera singer. She adopted the stage name ‘Thillon’ after marrying French tenor Jean-Baptiste Thillon. Thillon's operatic debut occurred in Paris in the early 1840s. She gained prominence in 1843 with her performance in Auber's ‘L'Ambassadrice’ at the Théâtre de la Renaissance. Known for her emotional expression and strong stage presence, she performed in major European cities, including London and Vienna, and later toured the United States. Her repertoire included roles in operas such as ‘Les Huguenots’ by Meyerbeer and ‘Le Domino Noir’ by Auber. Thillon retired from performing later in life to Torquay, where she died in 1903, leaving behind a significant legacy in opera. Exhibited: ‘Winterhalter’, Galeries Jacques Selgmann, Paris, 1928, cat. no. 891. Provenance: According to the Selgmann exhibition catalogue note, it was commissioned by composer Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (1782-1871); bequeathed by him to composer and theatre director Camille du Locle (1832-1903); and bequeathed by the latter to Opéra Comique, Paris, c. 1871, where it was rescued from a fire in 1887. By family repute it was gifted circa 1937 by the First World War flying ace Jean-Paul Jacques Favre de Thierrens to aircraft designer Norman Arthur Thompson; thence by family descent. Literature: The International Studio, vol. 91., (International Studio, New York 1928) p.44.