Justinian Champneys
Miniature
4th quarter 17th century (drawn)
4th quarter 17th century (drawn)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
In the second half of the 17th century in England there was a fashion for small black and white portraits drawn on vellum (fine animal skin). This medium is more durable than paper. Although these portraits were called 'plumbagos', meaning black lead, they were usually drawn in graphite and sometimes in ink. This portrait is done in graphite.
‘Plumbagos' developed in the Netherlands in the late 16th century within the print trade. They developed from the printmakers’ original drawings on paper, from which a print would have been engraved. 'Plumbagos' were introduced into England when the monarchy was restored in 1660, by printmakers who returned home from exile abroad. As the taste for 'plumbagos' became established, artists who were not printmakers also began to produce them.
Robert White was a pupil of David Loggan, who was also a 'plumbago' artist. He engraved about 400 portraits, some of them after his own drawings. He also engraved title-pages and landscapes. He was famous for his exactly drawn 'plumbago' portraits on vellum.
‘Plumbagos' developed in the Netherlands in the late 16th century within the print trade. They developed from the printmakers’ original drawings on paper, from which a print would have been engraved. 'Plumbagos' were introduced into England when the monarchy was restored in 1660, by printmakers who returned home from exile abroad. As the taste for 'plumbagos' became established, artists who were not printmakers also began to produce them.
Robert White was a pupil of David Loggan, who was also a 'plumbago' artist. He engraved about 400 portraits, some of them after his own drawings. He also engraved title-pages and landscapes. He was famous for his exactly drawn 'plumbago' portraits on vellum.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Justinian Champneys (popular title) |
Materials and techniques | Graphite on vellum |
Brief description | Plumbago miniature of Justinian Champneys, graphite on vellum, drawn by Robert White (1645-1703). |
Physical description | Plumbago miniature of Justinian Champneys, graphite on vellum |
Dimensions |
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Subjects depicted | |
Summary | In the second half of the 17th century in England there was a fashion for small black and white portraits drawn on vellum (fine animal skin). This medium is more durable than paper. Although these portraits were called 'plumbagos', meaning black lead, they were usually drawn in graphite and sometimes in ink. This portrait is done in graphite. ‘Plumbagos' developed in the Netherlands in the late 16th century within the print trade. They developed from the printmakers’ original drawings on paper, from which a print would have been engraved. 'Plumbagos' were introduced into England when the monarchy was restored in 1660, by printmakers who returned home from exile abroad. As the taste for 'plumbagos' became established, artists who were not printmakers also began to produce them. Robert White was a pupil of David Loggan, who was also a 'plumbago' artist. He engraved about 400 portraits, some of them after his own drawings. He also engraved title-pages and landscapes. He was famous for his exactly drawn 'plumbago' portraits on vellum. |
Bibliographic reference | Summary Catalogue of Miniatures in the Victoria and Albert Museum, Haslemere: Emmett Microform, 1981 |
Collection | |
Accession number | P.106-1920 |
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Record created | July 11, 2003 |
Record URL |
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