Miniature painting, the art of painting in watercolour on vellum, developed in the early 16th century out of the tradition of illuminating hand-written books. In England miniature was predominantly a portrait art, and was practised by specialist miniature painters such as Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619). On the Continent, miniature painting as a portrait art had a few great practitioners such as Jean Clouet (1516?-1572), who painted this wonderful portrait. But even Clouet was not a specialist; like Hans Holbein he worked in miniature and in large in oil.
This portrait confirms François Clouet’s reputation as one of the great miniature painters. Clouet succeeded his father, Jean, as portraitist to the French court, where he executed chalk drawings and oil paintings as well as miniatures. His method was to make a drawing (like his father, he was an exquisite draughtsman) and to work up the miniature portrait from that first accurate sketch. Catherine Medici (1519-1589) married the future French monarch Henri II in 1533. She became queen in 1547, and after the death of her husband in 1559 was made Regent. This miniature is a rare likeness of Catherine before she became a widow, an event that meant she invariably wore much more sombre clothes of mourning.
Physical description
Portrait of Catherine de Medici in an oval frame, half-length, holding a fan.
Place of Origin
France (painted)
Date
ca. 1555 (painted)
Artist/maker
Francois Clouet, born 1511 - died 1572 (probably, artist)
Materials and Techniques
Watercolour on vellum laid down on card
Dimensions
Height: 60 mm, Width: 44 mm
Object history note
This miniature was received in one half of a 17th century turned wood box: in the other half was a portrait of James I by John Hoskins (P.27-1954).
Descriptive line
Portrait miniature of Catherine de Medici, half-length, watercolour on vellum, probably painted by François Clouet, mid-16th century.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings Accessions 1954 London: HMSO, 1963
The full text of the entry is as follows:
"CLOUET, François (died 1572)
Miniature portrait of Catherine de Médicies (1519-1589), Queen of France.
On vellum. Oval P.26-1954
Note: This miniature was received in one half of a 17th century turned wood box: in the other half was a portrait of James I by John Hoskins (P.27-1954)."
Strong, Roy. Artists of the Tudor Court: the Portrait Miniature Rediscovered 1520-1620.. London: The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983.
Cat. 70, pp. 68-69. Full Citation:
“?FRANCOIS CLOUET
Catherine de Medici, c. 1555
Victoria & Albert Museum (P.26-1954)
Vellum stuck onto card, oval, 60 x 44 mm, 2 3/8 x 1 ¾ in.
Catherine Medici (1519-89), married the future Henry II in 1533. She became Queen in 1547 and subsequent to the death of her husband in 1559 became Regent.
Francois Clouet (c.1515-72) succeeded his father, Jean, as being portraitist to the Valois court. He not only executed chalk drawings and oil paintings but also miniatures. The latter fact we known from a document dated 1572 in which he is mentioned as having painted a miniature of the Queen, Elizabeth of Austria: ‘Portrait qu’il peignit dans un petit tableau d’or” (L. Dimier, Historie de la Peinture de Portrait en France au XVIe siecle, Paris, 1924, I., p.99). This miniature of Catherine belongs to a small group attributable to Clouet which includes one of Mary, Queen of Scots (Royal Collection) and two of Catherine and her son, Charles IX, in a jewelled locket (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna).
The tradition of miniature painting practised by Francois Clouet followed that established by his father in being worked up from drawings. This miniature is probably based on a version of a drawing in the British Museum (Crayons Francais de la collection de M. G. Salting, ed. E. Moreau-Nelaton, pl. xxxii) which is attributed also to Clouet. Hilliard would have probably seen miniatures by Clouet, but it was only the oval shape which he adopted. Apart from the process of painting a portrait, Clouet’s approach was quite different. It was not linear, as was Hilliard’s but aimed at a far more three-dimensional realistic effect: the features being loosely built up with little strokes of the brush over a brownish red flesh tone. There is no use of real gold and silver for the highlights or any attempt to simulate jewels. The attitude to pictorial space is a Renaissance one, emphasized by the trick of the hands being extended over the gold border. The miniature is a rare likeness of Catherine before her widowhood after which she invariably dressed in widows weeds. She is depicted in a black dress trimmed with white fur, a lattic work of jewels over her partlet, a jewelled French hood and a feather fan in her hand.
The miniature is framed in one half of a seventeenth-century portrait box of turned wood stained black. In the other half there is a portrait of James I by John Hoskins (P. 27-1954)
COLLECTIONS: With H. E. Backer, 1954.
LITERATURE: V&A archives.”
Exhibition History
Artists of the Tudor Court: the portrait miniature rediscovered, 1520-1620 (Victoria and Albert Museum 09/07/1983-06/11/19833)
Materials
Watercolour; Card; Vellum
Techniques
Painting
Subjects depicted
Fans (costume accessories); De Medicis, Catherine
Categories
Portraits; Royalty; Paintings
Collection code
PDP
