(Fig. 3) Richard Cosway (English, 1742–1821), Portrait of Lady Charlotte Fitzgerald, later 20th Baroness de Ross, 1791, watercolor on ivory in a gilt copper alloy case with hair reserve, 3 1/2 x 3 in. (8.9 x 7.6 cm), Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Starr and the Starr Foundation, Inc., F58-60/19
If you’re like me, you have hundreds, if not thousands of pictures capturing various events and people on your cell phone. These snapshots reveal our innate human desire for connection and serve as a sense of lasting legacy. Interestingly, portrait miniatures served a similar purpose. Created with watercolor on vellum (a fine parchment originally made of calf skin), or ivory, with most being less than three inches tall, portrait miniatures first emerged in European royal courts in the 1520s and flourished during Queen Elizabeth I’s (1558–1603) reign. They evolved and became widespread by the 1700s, with leading miniature painters setting up shop in major European and American cities. However, photographic portraiture took over in the mid-1800s, leaving portrait miniatures as an art form of the past.
The Starr Collection of Portrait Miniatures at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art showcases nearly 300 examples of these palm-sized portraits, which will be highlighted in an upcoming digital catalog released in four parts starting this fall. The collection, assembled over 30 years by Martha Jane (1906–2011) and John W. Starr (1905–2000) in the early 20th century, illustrates the evolution of the art form, as well as the diverse range of subjects portrayed. Unlike larger oil paintings, which often hang high up on a wall, portrait miniatures were intended to be held and were often worn as necklaces, rings or brooches. They served as a way to express love, loss, allegiance and affection for the individual represented and could even function as marketing tools for parents hoping to marry off their daughters.
The collection contains several notable examples, such as an exquisite portrait by Bernard Lens (English, 1681–1740), depicting a young woman with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Fig. 1). The sitter’s delicate hand resting on the dog’s back and the pet’s loyal expression convey desirable qualities for a potential wife. Portrait miniatures also marked auspicious unions, as evidenced by Richard Cosway’s (English, 1742–1821) portrait of Lady Charlotte Fitzgerald, painted in 1791, the year of her marriage to Lord Henry Fitzgerald (Fig. 2). Her new husband likely commissioned it upon their nuptials, and it is possible she returns the favor, wearing a portrait miniature of him around her neck. Cosway flattered his subjects with their almost air-brushed appearance through his innovative technique using transparent pigments allowing the ivory’s natural luminosity to shine through. Cosway’s rival, John Smart (English, 1741–1811), painted images preferred by the merchants and military elite, who desired more honest, “filter-less” portrayals.
Smart’s multi-faceted career took him to India, where he painted Indian rulers and English East India Company officers and tradesmen. These individuals, many appearing with sun-kissed cheeks and lines around their wary eyes, likely commissioned portraits of themselves to send back to loved ones during prolonged absences. Smart’s connections in India served him well when he returned to London in 1795, where he painted the Scottish merchant, David Reid (1761–1845), who had recently returned from Canton, after taking over his brother’s business selling India-based raw materials in China (Fig. 3).
The genre of portraiture, with its emphasis on the head, rather than the body, allowed women to become practitioners without requiring traditional life-drawing classes. Anna Claypoole Peale (American, 1791–1878), a member of the famous Peale dynasty of painters, actively painted portraits, such as an unknown fashionable woman with dark curls seated against a mauve curtain (Fig. 4). She was likely the wife of a rising Philadelphia merchant who wanted to document their station, as she poses in a lavish jewel-encrusted dress with matching earrings, possible markers of excess that his profession afforded.
While it may be difficult to discern the motives behind specific portrait commissions or the multitude of images taken on our phones, there is a common thread that connects us to previous generations who painted and owned portrait miniatures. That thread is our universal yearning for connection and immortality. By documenting our lives and capturing memories, we attempt to create a tangible reminder of our existence and interconnectedness. In this way, the practice of making portraits, whether through miniature painting or cell phone snapshots, transcends time and serves as a reminder of our shared humanity.
–Aimee Marcereau DeGalan, Louis L. and Adelaide C. Ward Senior Curator, European Arts
