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Miniature

Miniature

  • Place of origin:

    England (painted)

  • Date:

    1593 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Hilliard, Nicholas (painter (artist))

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Watercolour on vellum

  • Credit Line:

    Salting Bequest

  • Museum number:

    P.134-1910

  • Gallery location:

    British Galleries, room 57a, case 3

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Object Type
The medium and techniques of miniature painting, or limning as it was traditionally called, developed from the art of illustrating sacred books (also called limning). Nicholas Hilliard first trained as a goldsmith and introduced to this watercolour art innovative techniques for painting gold and jewels. In this miniature we see his characteristic curling and scrolling calligraphy, painted in real gold and then burnished.

Place
Nicholas Hilliard set up business in Gutter Lane in the City of London. In his treatise on limning Hilliard noted that limners should choose an area away from other trades, a 'place where neither dust, smoke, noise nor stench may offend' and some colours would suffer in the 'sulphurous air of seacoal and the gilding of goldsmiths'. Also 'the place where you work' should be lit from the north-east by one window, 'great and fair', with no walls or trees blocking the light. The late Medieval buildings of London would have made it hard to find such a workplace.

People
This sitter was once called Mistress Holland, Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth, because of a later inscription on the miniature's back. There is no real proof that she is Mistress Holland, but her magnificent costume, embroidered with tiny bees and deer, does not rule against her being a lady of the court.

Physical description

Portrait of a lady wearing a black dress with a white stomacher embroidered with bees and deer, and wearing a large ruff with white textile ties. Watercolour on vellum laid onto card

Place of Origin

England

Date

1593 (made)

Artist/maker

Hilliard, Nicholas

Materials and Techniques

Watercolour on vellum

Marks and inscriptions

"inscribed in Latin with the age of the sitter, 'AEtatis suae, 26'"

Dimensions

Height: 5.8 cm
Width: 4.8 cm

Dimensions checked: Measured; 23/05/2000 by NH

Object history note

Possibly Mistress Holland, Maid of Honour to Elizabeth I. Painted in England by Nicholas Hilliard (born in Exeter, Devon, possibly 1547, died in London, 1619)

Descriptive line

A woman, said to be Mistress Holland

Labels and date

British Galleries:
Nicholas Hilliard and Miniature Painting

Nicholas Hilliard trained as a goldsmith and developed painting techniques that exploited this training. He used metallic pigments to mimic the jewellery on the opulent clothes that were fashionable. Hilliard created the image of Elizabeth and her courtiers that we know today, but he never won a salaried position at court. He had to set up shop in the City of London. From there he painted anyone who could afford his services.

TWO UNIDENTIFIED PORTRAITS

The young man clearly intended his portrait to be a very personal gift. He stands dressed only in his shirt, turning a jewel to his heart. The flames almost certainly symbolise passion. In contrast, the woman chose a conventional pose. Hilliard has carefully painted her magnificent dress decorated with tiny embroidered bees and deer.

Attribution Note

Dated 1593

Categories

Paintings; Portraits; British Galleries

Collection code

PDP

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Qr_O74875
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