Monday
April 2013 - Painting miniature portraits
In many respects the painting of miniature portraits is a lost art in the 21C, with viewers of 18C and 19C miniature portraits astounded by the quality and artist's skill when seen up close or inspected with a magnifying glass. A very rare book about miniature painting Letters and Papers of Andrew Robertson AM by Emily Robertson includes a letter dated September 25, 1800 written in New York by Archibald Robertson and mailed to his brother Andrew Robertson in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is headed Treatise on Miniature Painting by Archibald Robertson and the 15 page letter is perhaps the fullest available account of how an accomplished artist painted miniatures in the early 19C. As the book is virtually unobtainable, I thought I should photograph the relevant pages from a copy of the book I have here and post them for those interested in trying out the art form. The image quality is not the best as I was trying to work out how to use a new camera, so I apologise for any difficulty in reading the pages.
Sunday
March 2013 - Three additions and a new book
Followers of this collection may have noted that recently there have been fewer additions to the collection. This trend is likely to continue! In 'the good old days' of ten years ago, in 2000-2005, information about miniature portraits was sparse on the Internet and collectors buying on the Internet were uncommon.A 'sad' day for buyers such as myself was when eBay altered its search criteria so that 'miniature' and 'miniatures' appeared on the same search. Prior to that they required separate searches and hence very few people thought to conduct two separate searches!
Since then artist information has increased and there are more knowledgeable collectors. The effect of the Global Financial Crisis has tended to suppress prices somewhat, but the wider interest has made it very much harder to find 'bargains' on the Internet. However, they do occasionally appear and encourage one to back one' s judgement.
This particular miniature was advertised on eBay by a specialist art dealer in Paris as;
ANTIQUE French Empire Miniature Painting on Ivory Gentleman c1800 Ebonized Frame You are viewing an exquisite French miniature portrait of a gentleman circa 1790 to 1810. I have taken lots of closeup photographs to show the quality of the painting. The detail in the man's hair and scarf is exceptional. It comes with what looks like the original lacquered frame with an oval gilt brass surround and an oak and acorn hanger. The image measures approximately 3 x 2 1/3 inches; the frame measures approximately 6 x 5 1/4 inches. Both painting and frame show signs of wear consistent with an antique around 200 years old. Some chipping to the frame (which appears to be papier mache), and some scratching and paint oxidation to the portrait (please refer to photos or email me with specific condition questions). The piece comes with its convex glass which has no cracks or chips. Shipping will be $15 internationally from France. Please view my feedbacks and bid with confidence on this great European artwork.
Although this one of an unknown man was advertised in France, early miniatures did sometimes cross and recross the Atlantic with settlers or with residents returning to Europe. In this instance, the distinctive style of the background made me believe it was by the noted American artist, Benjamin Trott (1770-1843). Despite some grubbiness and minor paint disturbance at the very bottom, at a price of $325 it was therefore a fortunate 'bargain'. The price being fair for an unknown artist, but enhanced by an attribution to Trott, which seems a fair and reasonable attribution, but it is always difficult to be 100% sure of an artist. Trott lived in Philadelphia in 1806-1820. He was noted for the tousled hair of his sitters and after 1800 a technique of assured, dashing, fluid brushwork applied in natural, clear, colors. Backgrounds with a sky motif were created by floating on this washes of white and blue and leaving large areas of the ivory unpainted. These characteristics can be seen here.
Another interesting point about the new addition to this collection is the framing. I have written previously expressing views about the impact of the Embargo Act on American miniatures, and concern about those dealers who remove original frames and replace them with more attractive frames to enhance the selling value. Sometimes that is unavoidable if the frame is damaged, but I believe the 'make-do' frames of 1808-1812 are a special case and should be retained as legitimate and important evidence of the effects on trade of the Embargo Act. A search of this website will bring up more comments, such as those at 3 American Miniature Portraits: Unknown French artist - Unknown ...
In this instance a sliver of additional ivory can be seen on the extreme right of the unframed portrait. This was used to try and fill the observable view from the front, but from the rear it is obvious the case was still too large. This, and the use of an ebonised type frame, allows me to date the miniature as painted in Philadelphia in 1808-1812. The Embargo Act prevented the importation of oval gold casework from Britain. Artists often still had residual stock of blank ivory plaques, but new gold metal cases and glasses were unavailable.
It may surprise non-collectors to realise that early miniatures slightly vary in size and oval shape. As a result between 1808-1812 artists had to either make up cases from scrap material or use frames of slightly the wrong size. In this instance Trott needed to use an ebonised frame slightly too large and hence needed to add a sliver of ivory on the right. 1476
Recently Cowan's Auctions advertised the right hand miniature of Henry Clay by Benjamin Trott with an estimate of $6000-$8000 despite it being cracked down the middle. This indicates how significant the sitter can be in establishing a price for a miniature portrait. That on the left was sold as lot 475 by Freeman's for $10,000 in April 2010, it being a portrait of John Baldwin Large (1780-1866). However, both those prices seem rather high for Trott as an artist, so there may have been special circumstances. The Freeman's estimate was $3000-$5000 which seems more reasonable, although it has to be admitted miniatures by the better American artists are increasingly difficult to find.
As
with other artists discussed, I believe there are debatable
attributions in several museum collections. The NPG Collection at the
Smithsonian includes six miniatures said to be by Benjamin Trott. They
include these two which may be by Trott, but also show some similarities
with the work of Joseph Wood (1778-1830). He also had a grey cloudy sky
with blue splashes, but his portraits tend to use somewhat more
intense, and slightly hence darker colors, so the backgrounds are a
little less vibrant.For more discussion about the work of Joseph Wood, and how that in turn is sometimes confused with that of Nathaniel Rogers (1787-1844) see April 2012 - Discussing Joseph Wood from portrait-miniature ... In the first years of the 19C century, 1797-1804, various artists were competing in New York at the time Trott was living there and so it is not surprising that there was some attempt to imitate the style of whosoever work was heard to be talked of by patrons, as the best artist to commission a portrait from.
Two other American miniature portraits recently added to this Artists and Ancestors Collection are;
3 American Miniature Portraits: Henri, Pierre - portrait of a lady and 3 American Miniature Portraits: Unknown - portrait of young lady
They are discussed further at the highlighted links. Neither sitter is identified.
Another new book
Last month I mentioned new research into miniature portraits. This month I can mention yet another new resource. It is a wonderful book dedicated to the Italian miniature painter Faustino Boatti (1797-1857). I had not previously come across his work, but two specialists in Italian art history, Bernardo Falconi and Anna Maria Zuccotti have assembled a catalogue of his work which shows him as another talented Italian artist, but one whose fame and portraits seem largely to have been restricted to Italy. For example, Blattel's Dictionary only mentions him as active in Milan in c1830. For such a body of work as is now assembled to be behind such a brief mention in such a comprehensive resource as Blattel, is an indication of how much more research is possible in the field of miniature portrait collecting.
The book is written in Italian, primarily for Italian collectors, but that does not detract from the over 80 miniatures depicted in full colour, many of them being full page images which each demonstrate the skill of the artist. At the same time proving the old adage, that if a miniature was magnified to life size, the quality and skill would still be apparent! The book is available from various sellers of art books including at this link; FAUSTINO BOATTI 1797-1857 : Un protagonista del ritratto in ...
Tuesday
Welcome to a Free Art Exhibition of Portrait Miniatures
[Welcome to new followers who saw this site on Blogs of Note for July 6, 2010. I hope you find the subject fascinating. I am willing to answer questions about miniatures and I get several questions each week. Click on my profile for the address. Questions are often from people who have portraits of ancestors, or found a miniature in a drawer. Check back, as I try to add at least one post a month containing market information or about additions to the collection.]
Thus read on as, in a user friendly format, the website displays a private collection of miniature portraits. A kind visitor has emailed; "It is definitely the best online art website that I have found yet."
But before exploring, please take a few seconds to imagine yourself 200 years ago, with no computers, no television, no films, no photographs, and no color printing in magazines or newspapers. Consider how unique these miniature paintings were, in capturing likenesses we now take for granted, and think how few other delicate objects of that age have lasted so well.
The Exhibition should appeal to art lovers, family historians, and fashion historians who can study hairstyles and clothing, changing over the centuries. Increasingly, the website focuses on known sitters and represents a new view of history, by "stepping through the back of a portrait".
If necessary, please wait a minute or so for the Slideshow Previews to appear (hopefully! - some browsers may have problems) and click to start. They show examples of miniatures on the left by American artists, and on the right by British and European artists. More miniatures are included in the various Gallery Links to the right, reached by clicking on the blue hyperlinks.
There are over 800 miniatures in the collection from America, Britain and Europe. All being easy to view and arranged in separate Galleries. In addition, hundreds more fine miniatures in other private collections can be accessed via links on the right. The exhibition format is:
1 Introduction to Miniatures
2 Copy, Fake, and Decorative Miniatures
3 Miniatures and the Photograph
4 Focus of the Collection
5 Recent Additions and Comment
6 Guest Gallery
7 History of the Collection
8 Highlights
9 American Galleries
10 British Galleries
11 European Galleries
12 Art Collecting Links
13 Bibliography
For more detail click on the blue links above or on the right under Gallery Links. Alternatively, use the Site Search box to search for artists, sitters, or key words. To email me with questions about miniatures, just click on my photo for a link. As a service to collectors, I do not charge for brief inquiries, but am also willing to advise collectors wishing to dispose of collections of miniatures.
The 2008 entries can be seen consecutively in 2008 Additions and Comment or items of interest can be selected below. (Research being like a detective story, the major items really do feel like cases!). Entries for 2009-2011 can also be seen, starting at 2009 Additions and Comment
The following slide-shows depicts some portraits acquired for the collection.
Posts during 2010
December - Auction news - View
November - Nathaniel Rogers at auction - View
November - Two additions - View
October - Three additions - View
September - Two additions - View
August - Rare wax portrait by Ethel Frances Mundy - View
July - Rare miniature on porcelain and new information - View
July - Expanded research on recent additions - View
June - Items of interest and more on Barratt fakes - View
June - Is the case original? - View
May - Fakes and items of interest - View
April - Recent sales noted - View
March - Horace Walpole on Samuel Cooper - View
March - A new book and some modern fakes - View
March - Current news - View
February - That book again! - View
January - Mainly American miniatures - View
[- Re the Carlisle book!
For more see
The Real Mr Frankenstein
The inspiration for the biography was the purchase of a miniature portrait of Carlisle for this collection, and it is shown here on the cover. The research has been fascinating and incredible, but also sobering, as it including the uncovering of a series of murders of pregnant women by famous men midwives of the 18C. This truly is an example where truth is stranger than fiction.
The book has been published in .pdf format as an eBook and is now available for purchase for £9.99 [GBP9.99] at The Real Mr Frankenstein
The Second Edition runs to 470 pages, with 300 illustrations. Research is ongoing, and this latest edition available for download via E-Junkie.com, contains substantial updates.]
Posts during 2009
December - Some additions - View
November - A record price and a sad story - View
October - Buyer Beware - how to waste $18,000 - View
October - The Real Mr Frankenstein now published! - View
September - Modern miniatures and research - View
August - Stolen miniatures - View
August - The Real Mr Frankenstein and wearing a miniature - View
August - A new book and a question about condition - View
July - Additions and market comment - View
June - An addition and some queries - View
May - Market snippets and more on fakes - View
April - Magazine articles on American miniatures - View
April - Snippets and painting miniatures - View
March - Snippets and an addition - View
February - The Yves St Laurent sale - View
February - Market place and an addition - View
January - An addition and various comments - View
2008
December - Annual Review for 2008 - View
December - Additions to the collection - View
December - The market- fake and genuine miniatures - View
November - Fake and genuine miniatures in the market place - View
November - Two additions - View
November- "Blog Following" and the market place - View
November - Miniatures of George Washington - fake and genuine. - View
November - Art of Mourning - View
October - The Case of the 4th Earl, the Harem, and the Great Art Fraud - View
October - A Spanish miniature portrait collection - View
October - The Market for Miniatures - View
October - More from the Market - View
September - A likely fake and the real Mr Frankenstein - View
September - The Case of the American Count and the Cookbook - View
September - New exhibition in Germany - View
August - American additions to the collection - View
August - Fakes, condition issues, and the market place - View
August - Preview - Comstock, Conger, Starr, and Stout families - View
August - The impact of the 1807 Embargo Act on miniatures - View
August - The Case of the Cabinet-Maker's Daughter - View
July - Researching sitters and decorative miniatures - View
July - American additions and Mr Darcy - View
July - The Case of Isaac Buckingham and The People vs McCool - View
June - Market place and miscellany - View
June - Additions to the collection and research - View
June - The Case of the Military Matriarch - View
May - Exhibitions, new literature, stolen miniature - View
May - New and recent literature on miniatures - View
May - Twenty years on the trail of William Douglas - View
May - Research and literature - View
May - American additions to the collection - View
May - The Case of the Speed Family and Abraham Lincoln - View
May - New Research and trivia - View
April - New dictionary of French miniature painters - View
April - The American market place - View
April - Une Collection Francaise - View Blog
April - Additions to the collection - View
April - Market place and other things - View
April - Miniature portrait of Benjamin West - View
April - Fakes and decorative miniatures - View
April - The Case of the von Cramon family and the Hitler bomb plot - View
March - Miscellany and more on museums - View
March - Additions to the collection - View
March - Market place - View
March - The exhibition of eBay Boycott Art - View
March - The Case of the British Rodin - View
February - Additions to the collection - View
February - The Case to Open the Museum Doors! - View
February - Stolen miniature portraits - View
February - Harriet Josephine Turner - View
February - Market place - View
January - Blue eyes, record price, - View
January - A forgotten family story - View
January - Additions to the collection - View
January - The Case of Walter Robertson - View
See also the Annual Review for 2007 and some previous cases below from:
An Art Collector's Casebook:
The Case of the Coal Mining Family from Ohio - View
The Case of the Lady Sculptor from Boston - View
The Case of the Mark Twain Portrait - View
The Case of the Link between Pocahontas and George Washington - View
The Case of the Lord Mayor of Melbourne - View
The Case of the Slave Trader's Widow - View
The Case of the Scandalous 19C Divorce - View
The Case of the Painter Princess - View
The Case of the 15 year old Eloping Heiress - View
The Case of the Gift from Napoleon - View
The Case of the Unknown Victoria Cross Winner - View
The Case of the Forgotten Author - View
The Case of the Chemistry Professor and the Spirit Mediums - View
The Case of the Portrait of Aaron Burr - View
The Case of the Governor's Grand March - View
(Please note that Copyright for all portraits and written content on this website and its subsidiary pages remains with the Owner, but images may be copied for private or educational research with an appropriate credit or an Internet link to this website. Clicking on About Me should bring up an email link.)
Thus read on as, in a user friendly format, the website displays a private collection of miniature portraits. A kind visitor has emailed; "It is definitely the best online art website that I have found yet."
But before exploring, please take a few seconds to imagine yourself 200 years ago, with no computers, no television, no films, no photographs, and no color printing in magazines or newspapers. Consider how unique these miniature paintings were, in capturing likenesses we now take for granted, and think how few other delicate objects of that age have lasted so well.
The Exhibition should appeal to art lovers, family historians, and fashion historians who can study hairstyles and clothing, changing over the centuries. Increasingly, the website focuses on known sitters and represents a new view of history, by "stepping through the back of a portrait".
If necessary, please wait a minute or so for the Slideshow Previews to appear (hopefully! - some browsers may have problems) and click to start. They show examples of miniatures on the left by American artists, and on the right by British and European artists. More miniatures are included in the various Gallery Links to the right, reached by clicking on the blue hyperlinks.
There are over 800 miniatures in the collection from America, Britain and Europe. All being easy to view and arranged in separate Galleries. In addition, hundreds more fine miniatures in other private collections can be accessed via links on the right. The exhibition format is:1 Introduction to Miniatures
2 Copy, Fake, and Decorative Miniatures
3 Miniatures and the Photograph
4 Focus of the Collection
5 Recent Additions and Comment
6 Guest Gallery
7 History of the Collection
8 Highlights
9 American Galleries
10 British Galleries
11 European Galleries
12 Art Collecting Links
13 Bibliography
For more detail click on the blue links above or on the right under Gallery Links. Alternatively, use the Site Search box to search for artists, sitters, or key words. To email me with questions about miniatures, just click on my photo for a link. As a service to collectors, I do not charge for brief inquiries, but am also willing to advise collectors wishing to dispose of collections of miniatures.
The 2008 entries can be seen consecutively in 2008 Additions and Comment or items of interest can be selected below. (Research being like a detective story, the major items really do feel like cases!). Entries for 2009-2011 can also be seen, starting at 2009 Additions and Comment
The following slide-shows depicts some portraits acquired for the collection.
Posts during 2010
December - Auction news - View
November - Nathaniel Rogers at auction - View
November - Two additions - View
October - Three additions - View
September - Two additions - View
August - Rare wax portrait by Ethel Frances Mundy - View
July - Rare miniature on porcelain and new information - View
July - Expanded research on recent additions - View
June - Items of interest and more on Barratt fakes - View
June - Is the case original? - View
May - Fakes and items of interest - View
April - Recent sales noted - View
March - Horace Walpole on Samuel Cooper - View
March - A new book and some modern fakes - View
March - Current news - View
February - That book again! - View
January - Mainly American miniatures - View
[- Re the Carlisle book!
For more see
The Real Mr Frankenstein
The inspiration for the biography was the purchase of a miniature portrait of Carlisle for this collection, and it is shown here on the cover. The research has been fascinating and incredible, but also sobering, as it including the uncovering of a series of murders of pregnant women by famous men midwives of the 18C. This truly is an example where truth is stranger than fiction.
The book has been published in .pdf format as an eBook and is now available for purchase for £9.99 [GBP9.99] at The Real Mr Frankenstein
The Second Edition runs to 470 pages, with 300 illustrations. Research is ongoing, and this latest edition available for download via E-Junkie.com, contains substantial updates.]
Posts during 2009
December - Some additions - View
November - A record price and a sad story - View
October - Buyer Beware - how to waste $18,000 - View
October - The Real Mr Frankenstein now published! - View
September - Modern miniatures and research - View
August - Stolen miniatures - View
August - The Real Mr Frankenstein and wearing a miniature - View
August - A new book and a question about condition - View
July - Additions and market comment - View
June - An addition and some queries - View
May - Market snippets and more on fakes - View
April - Magazine articles on American miniatures - View
April - Snippets and painting miniatures - View
March - Snippets and an addition - View
February - The Yves St Laurent sale - View
February - Market place and an addition - View
January - An addition and various comments - View
2008
December - Annual Review for 2008 - View
December - Additions to the collection - View
December - The market- fake and genuine miniatures - View
November - Fake and genuine miniatures in the market place - View
November - Two additions - View
November- "Blog Following" and the market place - View
November - Miniatures of George Washington - fake and genuine. - View
November - Art of Mourning - View
October - The Case of the 4th Earl, the Harem, and the Great Art Fraud - View
October - A Spanish miniature portrait collection - View
October - The Market for Miniatures - View
October - More from the Market - View
September - A likely fake and the real Mr Frankenstein - View
September - The Case of the American Count and the Cookbook - View
September - New exhibition in Germany - View
August - American additions to the collection - View
August - Fakes, condition issues, and the market place - View
August - Preview - Comstock, Conger, Starr, and Stout families - View
August - The impact of the 1807 Embargo Act on miniatures - View
August - The Case of the Cabinet-Maker's Daughter - View
July - Researching sitters and decorative miniatures - View
July - American additions and Mr Darcy - View
July - The Case of Isaac Buckingham and The People vs McCool - View
June - Market place and miscellany - View
June - Additions to the collection and research - View
June - The Case of the Military Matriarch - View
May - Exhibitions, new literature, stolen miniature - View
May - New and recent literature on miniatures - View
May - Twenty years on the trail of William Douglas - View
May - Research and literature - View
May - American additions to the collection - View
May - The Case of the Speed Family and Abraham Lincoln - View
May - New Research and trivia - View
April - New dictionary of French miniature painters - View
April - The American market place - View
April - Une Collection Francaise - View Blog
April - Additions to the collection - View
April - Market place and other things - View
April - Miniature portrait of Benjamin West - View
April - Fakes and decorative miniatures - View
April - The Case of the von Cramon family and the Hitler bomb plot - View
March - Miscellany and more on museums - View
March - Additions to the collection - View
March - Market place - View
March - The exhibition of eBay Boycott Art - View
March - The Case of the British Rodin - View
February - Additions to the collection - View
February - The Case to Open the Museum Doors! - View
February - Stolen miniature portraits - View
February - Harriet Josephine Turner - View
February - Market place - View
January - Blue eyes, record price, - View
January - A forgotten family story - View
January - Additions to the collection - View
January - The Case of Walter Robertson - View
See also the Annual Review for 2007 and some previous cases below from:
An Art Collector's Casebook:
The Case of the Coal Mining Family from Ohio - View
The Case of the Lady Sculptor from Boston - View
The Case of the Mark Twain Portrait - View
The Case of the Link between Pocahontas and George Washington - View
The Case of the Lord Mayor of Melbourne - View
The Case of the Slave Trader's Widow - View
The Case of the Scandalous 19C Divorce - View
The Case of the Painter Princess - View
The Case of the 15 year old Eloping Heiress - View
The Case of the Gift from Napoleon - View
The Case of the Unknown Victoria Cross Winner - View
The Case of the Forgotten Author - View
The Case of the Chemistry Professor and the Spirit Mediums - View
The Case of the Portrait of Aaron Burr - View
The Case of the Governor's Grand March - View
(Please note that Copyright for all portraits and written content on this website and its subsidiary pages remains with the Owner, but images may be copied for private or educational research with an appropriate credit or an Internet link to this website. Clicking on About Me should bring up an email link.)
Introduction to Miniatures
Welcome!
If you have stumbled across this exhibition by accident and your time is limited, it is suggested you look at either the 2008 Additions and Comment under Gallery Links for regular updates, or the American 1 Gallery for the kind of information included about artists and sitters.
Other sections contain information on the history of portrait miniatures and Internet links to related sites. The site is continually being revised as extra information or miniatures come to hand. Such revisions are a great advantage of publishing on the Internet.
If you wish to ask me about miniatures, you can click on my photo for an email link.
Please, please, please!
However, before you set off to explore the site, a heartfelt plea to anyone who owns a miniature and knows the identity of the subject.
Please, please, record the name of the sitter, either written on the reverse or on an attached tag, especially if you are contemplating a sale of the miniature.
Some sellers deliberately conceal or remove the identity of the sitter, probably because they are ashamed of selling an "ancestor".
The miniature here by Annie Dixon, of a girl with ringlets, falls into this category. When purchased, it was found the sitter's name is written on the reverse, but has been crossed out so it is illegible.
It is far better to be as proud of the sitter's identity, as the original owner of the miniature was, so that an ancestor's identity is not lost and can follows them into the future.
I think that to remove the identity of a sitter is akin to removing the sitter's gravestone from their grave. No one would contemplate that. In this collection, research into named sitters has often revealed how interesting their lives were.
Shown here is one large painting (20" x 16") in the collection, which was an irresistible purchase. It is titled "The Miniature" and is signed by A L Grace, a late Victorian artist. It depicts a collector (not me, I have more hair) admiring a portrait and gives an indication of the relative size of a miniature, although most are smaller than this.
Collecting Miniatures
The fascination in collecting miniatures arises from the skill of the artist, with each portrait being a unique and original work of art, together with the opportunity to research individual sitters and the historical events associated with them. As with collecting of any nature, there is also the thrill of the hunt!
Some notes for potential collectors. An author on the subject, Daphne Foskett, observed in her book "Miniatures - Dictionary and Guide" that there are two methods of forming a collection, with the choice between the two determined by how much the collector can afford to spend.
The first method is for collectors of limited means. In Daphne Foskett's opinion this is the most interesting way and involves the collector buying any miniatures that appeal. In this way a collection may be assembled that may not be of equal merit, but can later be weeded out and the collection improved. In the process the collector gradually gains knowledge, becomes more discriminating and thus better able to select good examples. For example the collector will quickly become aware that miniatures can be divided into two types. Collectors generally prefer those which are true portraits, but some people do collect miniatures which were originally mass produced for decorative purposes.
The second method of collecting is for a collector with ample means who can afford to buy important items recommended by specialist dealers. Such a collection is often smaller, but will include examples by the better known artists. An extreme example is the Starr Collection of miniatures by John Smart, which contains a dated example for each year of his activity from 1760 to 1810.
As the cost of a John Smart miniature these days is in the range of US$20,000 to US$40,000, a collector wishing to emulate that collection will need very ample means!
Most miniature portraits are, as the name suggests, portraits of people. However, it is possible to occasionally find the skill of an artist demonstrated in other ways, such as the feather shown here, which is painted by an unknown artist.
Prices for Miniatures
The current world record price for a miniature portrait is over US$1,300,000 which was paid for a miniature of George Washington by John Ramage. At the time it was probably the most expensive painting per square inch in the world.
However, a collector need not be disheartened by that price. Miniatures do represent an opportunity to assemble a collection of original art at modest cost. This collection has been acquired on a limited budget. Thus famous miniature painters such as Hilliard, Cooper, Smart, and Engleheart are absent.
Nevertheless, by putting in much search and research time, together with some calculated risk taking and occasional lucky finds, it has been possible to assemble a range of good artists. Some of these, such as Francois Soiron, Domenico Bossi, James Peale, and Charles Bourgeois are the equals of top British artists and represented in museum collections around the world.
Potential collectors may also be heartened to know that shown here is the cheapest miniature in this collection which was purchased in 2001 at auction for less than US$5.
Also shown is the signed and dated note found inside it, which gives the name of both the artist and the sitter. (As a word of caution, miniatures should only be opened if they come apart easily. If not, seek the assistance of a jeweller.)
Thus bargains can still be found. Overall the average cost of this collection is under US$500 per miniature. This average cost limit is an ongoing target, so as to have fun collecting, and as a purchasing discipline.
Research
One of the most enjoyable features of collecting is researching sitters. It is often amazing what can be found out about a sitter who may have an unfamiliar name, but may well be related to famous people from history. Rarely, it is even possible to use other sources to identify an unknown sitter. The extra information can add dramatically to the value.
Hopefully this website will encourage new collectors and show that even people of modest means can build an interesting collection and have pleasure in the process.
For more general information about miniatures see Background or to explore the various Galleries, click on these blue hyperlinks.
2008 Additions and Comment 2007 Additions and Comment 2006 Additions and Comment American 1 American 2 American 3 American 20C British 1 British 2 British 20C European 1 European 2 Guest Gallery Une Collection Francaise
If you have stumbled across this exhibition by accident and your time is limited, it is suggested you look at either the 2008 Additions and Comment under Gallery Links for regular updates, or the American 1 Gallery for the kind of information included about artists and sitters.
Other sections contain information on the history of portrait miniatures and Internet links to related sites. The site is continually being revised as extra information or miniatures come to hand. Such revisions are a great advantage of publishing on the Internet.
If you wish to ask me about miniatures, you can click on my photo for an email link.
Please, please, please!
However, before you set off to explore the site, a heartfelt plea to anyone who owns a miniature and knows the identity of the subject.Please, please, record the name of the sitter, either written on the reverse or on an attached tag, especially if you are contemplating a sale of the miniature.
Some sellers deliberately conceal or remove the identity of the sitter, probably because they are ashamed of selling an "ancestor".
The miniature here by Annie Dixon, of a girl with ringlets, falls into this category. When purchased, it was found the sitter's name is written on the reverse, but has been crossed out so it is illegible.
It is far better to be as proud of the sitter's identity, as the original owner of the miniature was, so that an ancestor's identity is not lost and can follows them into the future.
I think that to remove the identity of a sitter is akin to removing the sitter's gravestone from their grave. No one would contemplate that. In this collection, research into named sitters has often revealed how interesting their lives were.Shown here is one large painting (20" x 16") in the collection, which was an irresistible purchase. It is titled "The Miniature" and is signed by A L Grace, a late Victorian artist. It depicts a collector (not me, I have more hair) admiring a portrait and gives an indication of the relative size of a miniature, although most are smaller than this.
Collecting Miniatures
The fascination in collecting miniatures arises from the skill of the artist, with each portrait being a unique and original work of art, together with the opportunity to research individual sitters and the historical events associated with them. As with collecting of any nature, there is also the thrill of the hunt!
Some notes for potential collectors. An author on the subject, Daphne Foskett, observed in her book "Miniatures - Dictionary and Guide" that there are two methods of forming a collection, with the choice between the two determined by how much the collector can afford to spend.
The first method is for collectors of limited means. In Daphne Foskett's opinion this is the most interesting way and involves the collector buying any miniatures that appeal. In this way a collection may be assembled that may not be of equal merit, but can later be weeded out and the collection improved. In the process the collector gradually gains knowledge, becomes more discriminating and thus better able to select good examples. For example the collector will quickly become aware that miniatures can be divided into two types. Collectors generally prefer those which are true portraits, but some people do collect miniatures which were originally mass produced for decorative purposes.
The second method of collecting is for a collector with ample means who can afford to buy important items recommended by specialist dealers. Such a collection is often smaller, but will include examples by the better known artists. An extreme example is the Starr Collection of miniatures by John Smart, which contains a dated example for each year of his activity from 1760 to 1810.
As the cost of a John Smart miniature these days is in the range of US$20,000 to US$40,000, a collector wishing to emulate that collection will need very ample means!Most miniature portraits are, as the name suggests, portraits of people. However, it is possible to occasionally find the skill of an artist demonstrated in other ways, such as the feather shown here, which is painted by an unknown artist.
Prices for Miniatures
The current world record price for a miniature portrait is over US$1,300,000 which was paid for a miniature of George Washington by John Ramage. At the time it was probably the most expensive painting per square inch in the world.
However, a collector need not be disheartened by that price. Miniatures do represent an opportunity to assemble a collection of original art at modest cost. This collection has been acquired on a limited budget. Thus famous miniature painters such as Hilliard, Cooper, Smart, and Engleheart are absent.
Nevertheless, by putting in much search and research time, together with some calculated risk taking and occasional lucky finds, it has been possible to assemble a range of good artists. Some of these, such as Francois Soiron, Domenico Bossi, James Peale, and Charles Bourgeois are the equals of top British artists and represented in museum collections around the world.Potential collectors may also be heartened to know that shown here is the cheapest miniature in this collection which was purchased in 2001 at auction for less than US$5.
Also shown is the signed and dated note found inside it, which gives the name of both the artist and the sitter. (As a word of caution, miniatures should only be opened if they come apart easily. If not, seek the assistance of a jeweller.)
Thus bargains can still be found. Overall the average cost of this collection is under US$500 per miniature. This average cost limit is an ongoing target, so as to have fun collecting, and as a purchasing discipline.Research
One of the most enjoyable features of collecting is researching sitters. It is often amazing what can be found out about a sitter who may have an unfamiliar name, but may well be related to famous people from history. Rarely, it is even possible to use other sources to identify an unknown sitter. The extra information can add dramatically to the value.
Hopefully this website will encourage new collectors and show that even people of modest means can build an interesting collection and have pleasure in the process.
For more general information about miniatures see Background or to explore the various Galleries, click on these blue hyperlinks.
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