Miniatures
Miniature portraits can be seen as the finest display for mourning and memorial art. Their size and period of popularity provide an excellent forum for the display of mourning symbolism, their size being the only step removed from full sized painting.
Reynolds traces the origin of British portraits miniatures to Henry VIII attempting to create a centre of humanism at court hired Luke Horenbout to counter Francis I's (king of France) painter Jean Clouet 1. From 1525/26, small lockets with portraits were exchanged between the courts2.
From this time, the sentimentality behind the miniature portrait is in its subject. Full size portraiture of people wearing miniatures of their loved ones is the greatest form of memorial. It is a true symbol of intimacy, keeping the picture of a loved one close at all times, and it is this tradition that is maintained right through until the advent of photography.
As with most memorial jewellery, the period of 1760 until around 1840 is very important for the styles, quality and variation of pieces produced at the time. Mourning symbolism became engrained in society throughout these years and covered all strata of society.
Examples such as the one above, provide a rich palette for memorial symbolism and the skill of art itself.
Allegory is the central ideal with the subject of mourning and sentimental miniatures (as with most depictions during this time) . There is an overwhelming amount of variation between pieces from this time, their symbolism (Greek in style or not) will be overviewed in the Articles section, but the piece above requires close inspection.
The woman in mourning represents many different things depending on the area the piece was produced and the painter. Commonly, the woman appears in white neoclassical dress, a perfect symbol of devotion in mourning. More unusual pieces transfer the woman from being a romantic ideal into a personal statement. This can be seen in pieces which depict the actual person who commissioned the piece. Depictions range from females in black dress without the neoclassical ideal of portraiture. Examples of this can be seen in Love and Loss: American Portrait and Mourning Miniatures. Personal pieces also include the figure of a male mourning next to the central tomb, urn or other motif. Male mourning pieces tend to be more rare, but their sentiment is greatly enforced due to their personal nature. A male mourning ring dating from this time can be found in the Rings section.
The piece above has the tomb as the central focus, with the child breaking free and flying towards the angel, who has outstretched arms, holding a wreath. The wreath depicts redemption, and this is enforced by the 'Resurgam' (resurrection) written on the tomb.
Shown in front of the woman is a garden, which had different meaning. The biblical gardens of Eden and Gethsemane, where Christ was arrested, leading to his crucifixion and resurrection, alludes to eternal life 3. The cypress trees that outline the background (hope of immortality and death 4) provide a stunning depth to the artwork.
Following the common themes of mourning miniatures, the weeping willow (resurrection through regrowth5) is one of the most common.
More about the symbolism, its usage and Barbara Robbins can be found in the Articles section.
The reverse of this piece has a cobalt glass surround, set into a bezel, set into a gold over copper rim and a hair compartment in the centre. The following piece below has much of the same construction.
A Oval double portrait miniature attributed to British artist John Barry (active 1784-1827); one side has sepia miniature portrait on ivory of a gentleman (the father) wearing a powdered wig with a verre eglomise border, the other side a watercolor portrait on ivory of a young girl (the daughter) in a rose gold frame set upon a light brown hairwork base. Note the symbolism in the border and the costume of the subjects.
One of the most remarkable facets of this piece is quite obviously its subject and her rendering. The delicate greyscale rendering is almost done is a crosshatched fashion; the subject is sad and looking off into the distance, advanced in age and not painted to a neoclassical ideal. It could be assumed that the subject is rendered post mortem due to the colour and the subject, however, there is no firm indication in the form of a memorial to justify this.
Miniature portraits often consisted of posthumous subjects, as the above may possibly depict. The gentleman is wearing complete black, cravat and coat and his hair is worked through the surrounding pendant. From the British School in the late 18th Century, the artistry of this piece moves beyond the typical classical ideal and shows an excellent portrait.
Cheaper alternatives to the expensive miniature dated from 1770. Silhouettes made from black paper placed on ivory were another feature of miniatures and found also in rings, brooch and other form of jewellery6.
| Courtesy: |
Barbara Robbins |
| Dedication: |
Tho Lost to Sight to Memory Dear |
| Year: |
c.1790-1800 |
Ignoring its frame, this is an interesting piece. The quality of the artistry is far beyond what was common for its time and the inclusion of the skull and crossbones upon the plinth is an inclusion that is quite uncommon. Completely, this piece is individual and in its use of shading, natural portrayal of imagery and sheer defiance of convention, becomes superior. Defying the convention, this piece raises many questions as to its origins; given its unusual art form and deconstruction of traditional symbolism, was it a piece commissioned for personal reasons, or was it the prerogative of the artist to be a personal item? Regardless, the sentiment is a common one for its time, but the artwork is a unique attempt at standardised neoclassical symbolism.
Of the more unusual sentimental portraits to come from the late 18th Century (and to survive into the early 19th Century) was the use of eye portraits.
The portrait on the left is from The Portrait Miniature in England and can be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Eye portraits are rare and highly sought after, but there is variation between them. In the portrait shown, the setting conforms to the portrait of the eye, but later examples show a teardrop setting with a black enamel surround. Some also show a downturned eye. These are not always to be considered mourning pieces, but certainly sentimental. The teardrop setting with the black enamel surround is certainly a mourning piece and quite an odd point in the evolution of the style.
Eye portraits are considered to have their genesis in the late 18th Century when the Prince of Wales (to become George IV) wanted to exchange a token of love with the Catholic widow (of Edward Weld who died 3 months into the marriage) Maria Fitzherbert. The court denounced the romance as unacceptable, though a court miniaturist developed the idea of painting the eye and the surrounding facial region as a way of keeping anonymity. The pair were married on December 15, 1785, but this was considered invalid by the Royal Marriages Act because it had not been approved by George III, but Fitzherbert’s Catholic persuasion would have tainted any chance of approval. Maria’s eye portrait was worn by George under his lapel in a locket as a memento of her love. This was the catalyst that began the popularity of lover’s eyes. From its inception, the very nature of wearing the eye is a personal one and a statement of love by the wearer. Not having marks of identification, the wearer and the piece are intrinsically linked, rather than a jewellery item which can exist without the necessity of the wearer.
Use of materials developed along with the size of the settings of eye miniatures, as pieces were surrounded by precious stones and became larger due to altering fashion. A good reference for the evolving trend of the shape of early 19th century jewellery can be seen in the Rings section, where settings and the shape of the mementos changed quite dramatically from 1790-1830.
There have been a number of eye portrait forgeries due to their desirability and low production. Collectors should be cautious when purchasing a piece to ensure its authenticity.
| Artist: |
Elis. More |
| Year: |
1801 |
Pieces like this transcend just the form of jewellery and become art unto themselves. This particular piece shows the absolute height of miniature painting is signed and dated with the child pointing towards the heavens. The symbolism is quite simple, but the execution of it is impeccable. This piece has a replacement setting in bronze, but this compliments the piece quite well. Its significance as a memorial piece and a work of art is incredibly high.
At the height of the neo-classical movement, symbolism became the most popular form of sentimental communication, making the true definition of a piece a personal message of the wearer and relegating the understanding of a piece for others a matter of art critique and opinion. This particular piece is no different, showing doves, an unbroken column, fallen torch and the couple. Strong indications in this symbolism hint towards fruition and new life, hence the prospect of children or childbirth. In its universal aspect, it is a portrait of love and the true meaning of why it was commissioned and how it was worn is strictly the prerogative of the person who commissioned it. The ebonised wood frame with the acorn (strength) are typical of the 1820s and miniature casings, they transcend memorial and sentimental items to be simply a fashionable item of the period.
Miniature portraits and pendants began to phase out with the introduction of photography in 1839. As stated by Coombs, 'miniature painting was supplanted in emotional and cultural life by photography5. Compacts, velvet cases, took the place for a transportable memento. Photographs as a personal keepsake were a cheaper, faster and more viable option than what had come before.
The two examples of the compacts above show the use of the hairwork and the photograph inside. The top example is a better quality version, with pearls and hairwork being entwined in the palette worked hair. Below, the hair is crudely placed inside the glass compartment, though both show the variation in society of photography. Affordability and the speed of production made the memento a popular one. Compacts began to be overshadowed by lockets and more practical forms of jewellery and personal mementoes, as photographs became smaller over time.
Miniatures and portraits are mourning art in its ideal form. The reference for mourning and sentimental jewellery stems from the neoclassical period and the exquisite pieces that were produced at the time. The amount and variation of symbolism during the late 18th Century eclipses everything that had come before and would come later.
