Perfect Likeness: European and American Portrait Miniatures from the Cincinnati Art MuseumDiminutive marvels of artistry and fine craftsmanship, portrait miniatures reveal a wealth of information within their small frames. They can tell tales of cultural history and biography, of people and their passions, of evolving tastes in jewelry, fashion, hairstyles, and the decorative arts. Unlike many other genres, miniatures have a tradition in which amateurs and professionals have operated in parallel and women artists have flourished as professionals. This richly illustrated book presents approximately 180 portrait miniatures selected from the holdings of the Cincinnati Art Museum, the largest and most diverse collection of its kind in North America. The book stresses the continuity of stylistic tradition across Europe and America as well as the vitality of the portrait miniature format through more than four centuries. A detailed catalogue entry, as well as a concise artist biography, appears for each object. Essays examine various aspects of miniature painting, of the depiction of costume in miniatures, and of the allied art of hair work. |
Common terms and phrases
AH REFERENCES Albert Museum Anna Claypoole Peale Anne artist Biography Oxford University blue born Boston British brown career century Charles Willson Peale Charleston Cincinnati Art Museum Cincinnati miniature color costume Cosway daughter depicted Dictionary of National died dress early Edward Greene Malbone enamel England English Miniatures engraving exhibited fashion Foskett French George Engleheart gold hairwork Henry Human hair inscribed Isabey James Peale John Murdoch Lady locket Maria married Mary MEW REFERENCES minia miniature painter miniaturist Museum of Art National Biography Oxford National Portrait Gallery Nicholas Hilliard November Oxford Dictionary painted miniatures Paris Paul Caffrey Philadelphia portrait drawings portrait miniatures portraiture private collection PROVENANCE Richard Richard Cosway Robertson Royal Academy sale London Christie's sale London Sotheby's Samuel Sarah Schidlof Self-Portrait Signed and dated sitter Society style Thomas tures vellum verso Washington Watercolor on ivory Watercolor on vellum wears William woman York young