Settings & Uses for Portrait Miniatures

Settings, Portrait Miniatures

  • Samuel Cooper, portrait of Sir Samuel Morland Baronet



    Samuel Cooper
    Portrait of Sir Samuel Morland Baronet
    About 1661
    Watercolour on vellum, stuck to a table-book leaf
    Inscribed on the back ‘Sir Samuel Morland / Cooper’
    Bequeathed by Mrs A.B. Woodcroft
    Museum no. 481-1903

    This miniature is set in a silver-gilt locket with a typical scroll decoration at the top. It was never meant to have a lid. Although the locket could have been worn, it was probably displayed in a small cabinet.

  • John Smart, portrait of Dorothea Capper



    John Smart (1742?-1811)
    Portrait of Dorothea Capper
    1778
    Watercolour on ivory
    Signed lower right 'J.S.' in monogram, and dated '1778'
    Purchased with funds from the Captain H.B. Murray Bequest
    Museum no. P.66-1920

    This gilt metal locket was worn on a ribbon bracelet. There is a mechanism at the top and bottom to hold it securely and the back is slightly curved inwards so it sits comfortably.

  • Richard Cosway, portrait of Mrs Lowther



    Richard Cosway (1742-1821)
    Portrait of Mrs Lowther
    About 1780
    Watercolour on ivory
    Given by Mr W.A.J. Floersheim
    Museum no. P.101-1931

    Here the miniature is set into the lid of an ivory and gold snuff box, under glass. Snuff was powdered tobacco inhaled through the nose. Snuffboxes were very fashionable and often included miniatures.

  • The Monogrammist ‘GI’, portrait of Charles II when Prince of Wales



    The Monogrammist ‘GI’
    Portrait of Charles II, when Prince of Wales
    About 1644
    Watercolour on vellum, probably stuck to a table-book leaf
    Given by Elizabeth J. George
    Museum no. E.442-1995

    The blue enamelled case with a lid attached is original. The miniature is a copy of an oil painting by William Dobson. During the Civil Wars, iniatures of the Prince of Wales were worn as tokens of loyalty to the Crown.

  • Annie Dixon, portrait of Elizabeth



    Annie Dixon 1817-1901
    Portrait of Elizabeth, Lady Stuart de Rothesay
    1865
    Watercolour on ivory
    Inscribed by the artist on the backing card 'Lady Stuart de Rothesay / Painted by A. Dixon 1865'
    Museum no. P.36-1987
    Bequeathed by Mrs T.R.P. Hole

    Lady Stuart de Rothesay died in 1867. Her miniature is set in a gilt metal frame with a stand at the back. The frame has been personalised with a coronet and her initials in monogram.

  • Charles Robertson, portrait of an unknown woman



    Charles Robertson (1760-1821)
    Portrait of an unknown woman,
    Displayed to show the back of the locket and the miniature
    Painted in watercolour on ivory
    Museum no. P.98-1962
    Bequeathed by John Jones

    At the back of this portrait miniature is a hair ornament. Elaborate ornaments made of hair became popular from the 1780s and apparently were not always made with the sitter's hair. The hair ornament is decorated with gilded wire and seed pearls, forming the initials of the sitter, 'H.I.C'.

  • Nicholas Hilliard, portrait of an unknown man



    Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619)
    Portrait of an unknown man
    About 1590
    Watercolour on vellum, stuck onto a playing card with two diamonds visible
    Museum no. 887-1894
    Given by Miss Margaret Blencowe

    This miniature is set under glass in its original turned ivory box. The ivory lid pushes onto the base. The sitter has traditionally been called 'William Barbor'. Some writers also argue that the artist was Isaac Oliver.

  • Jeremiah Meyer, portrait of an unknown woman



    Jeremiah Meyer, RA (1735-89)
    Portrait of an unknown woman
    About 1780
    Watercolour on ivory
    Museum no. P.12-1951

    The case is made of shagreen. True shagreen was shark's skin, but an imitation shagreen was made with leather, usually from a horse. It was given an artificially granulated surface and dyed green.

  • Anonymous British Artist, Eye Miniature



    Anonymous British Artist
    Eye miniature
    About 1790-1810
    Watercolour on ivory
    Museum no. P.56-1977
    Given in memory of the Hon. Donough O'Brien by his wife the Hon. Rose O'Brien

    'Eye miniatures', where one eye of the sitter was painted, were all the rage from 1790 to 1810. Most were tiny and set as brooches. This one has tears made out of little diamonds.

  • Christina Robertson, self-portrait



    Christina Robertson, born Sanders (1775-1854)
    Self-portrait
    About 1822
    Watercolour on ivory
    Museum no. P.10-1940

    Christina Robertson painted miniatures and oils for an aristocratic clientele in London and Paris. She eventually settled in Russia. This self-portrait is set in a faded crimson leather case, lined with crimson velvet.

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