Portrait miniature

Early Period and Notable Miniaturists

• Portrait miniatures developed from illuminated manuscripts
• Famous manuscript painters like Jean Fouquet and Simon Bening were early portrait miniaturists
• Lucas Horenbout was a Netherlandish miniature painter at the court of Henry VIII
• France had a strong tradition of miniatures, with artists like François Clouet and Jean Perréal
• Other notable miniature painters include Simon Renard de St. André and Rosalba Carriera
• Nicholas Hilliard was the first famous native English portrait miniaturist
• Hilliard's work was conservative in style and often signed with a Latin motto
• Hilliard was succeeded by his son Lawrence Hilliard, who had a bolder technique
• Isaac Oliver and his son Peter Oliver gave roundness and form to the faces they painted
• Other notable English miniaturists include Balthazar Gerbier and George Jamesone
• Gervase Spencer, Bernard Lens III, Nathaniel Hone, and Jeremiah Meyer were notable miniaturists associated with the Royal Academy
• David Loggan, William Faithorne, and John Faber the Elder were skilled workers in black lead
• Denmark had notable miniature painters like Cornelius Høyer and Christian Horneman

Samuel Cooper and the Puritan Epoch

• Samuel Cooper was considered the greatest English portrait miniaturist
• Cooper spent much of his time in Paris and Holland
• His work had a superb breadth and dignity and was known for its truth to life
• Cooper painted on card, chicken skin, vellum, and even thin pieces of mutton bone
• Other notable miniaturists of this period include Alexander Cooper and Richard Gibson

Peak Period by Country

• Denmark's Cornelius Høyer specialized in miniature painting and was appointed Miniature Painter to the Danish Court
• Christian Horneman succeeded Høyer as Denmark's premier proponent of miniature portraits
• Horneman's most known work is a portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven from 1802
• Miniature painting was popular in other countries as well during the peak period
• Each country had its own notable miniature painters and unique styles

Notable Miniaturists in Different Countries

• France: Miniatures were painted by artists like Nicolas de Largillière, François Boucher, and Jean-Marc Nattier
• Spain: Portrait miniatures were used in the Spanish court since the late 15th century, with Francisco Goya as a notable painter
• United States: The English style of portrait miniatures was exported to the American colonies, with artists like Mary Roberts and Amalia Küssner Coudert
• Scotland: Andrew Robertson and his brothers created a style of slightly larger portrait miniatures
• Ireland: Gustavus Hamilton was a successful miniature painter in Dublin

Materials, Techniques, and Displays

• Early miniatures were painted on vellum, chicken-skin, or cardboard
• Watercolor on ivory became the standard medium in the 18th century
• Enamel and copper support were also used in miniature painting
• Mica was used for costume overlays
• Museums like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London display miniature original oil paintings
• The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. also has a vast collection of portrait miniatures
• The Astolat Dollhouse Castle is another display venue for portrait miniatures
• International Biennial of Miniature Art exhibitions are held in Gornji Milanovac, Serbia, and Częstochowa, Poland
• The Royal Miniature Society Exhibition takes place annually in London, UK

Portrait miniature Data Sources