CHATS ON OLD MINIATURES
LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN, ADELPHI TERRACE.
[Illustration: MANSION.
PORTRAIT OF A LADY.
_Wallace Collection._]
CHATS ON
OLD MINIATURES
BY
J. J. FOSTER, F.S.A.
AUTHOR OF "BRITISH MINIATURE PAINTERS AND THEIR WORKS," "THE
STUARTS IN 16TH, 17TH, AND 18TH CENTURY ART," "FRENCH ART
FROM WATTEAU TO PRUDHON," "CONCERNING THE TRUE
PORTRAITURE OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS,"
ETC., ETC.
WITH 117 ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON
T. FISHER UNWIN
ADELPHI TERRACE
MCMVIII
(_All rights reserved._)
PREFACE
Acceding to the wish of my Publishers that the following pages should
be included in a certain well-known series, I have termed them "Chats
on Old Miniatures," but confess that I consider the title somewhat of
a misnomer, inasmuch as I have been accustomed to regard "a chat" as a
conversation between two or more persons interested in a given subject;
whereas in this little volume it is obvious that I have done all the
talking.
In the interval which has elapsed since my larger works appeared the
most important event in connection with the subject of Miniatures is,
in my opinion, the Exhibition of Works of Art of the Eighteenth Century
at the French National Library in 1906. The concluding chapter of this
book gives the impressions afforded by that extremely interesting and
instructive Exhibition.
In the hope that they will be of use to the general reader, I have
amplified my references to the public collections of Miniatures in this
country, especially those at Hertford House and the Jones Collection,
so rich in the works of Petitot.
Miss E. M. Foster has been of much service in revising the proofs and
passing this work through the press.
I have only to add one word, and that relates to the illustrations.
I am fortunate in being able to put before my readers so large a
selection of choice examples of the art of miniature painting.
This I owe to the generosity of the owners of the originals, to whom I
desire once again to express my indebtedness and thanks.
J. J. FOSTER.
LONDON,
_Easter, 1908_.
CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE 9
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 13
BIBLIOGRAPHY 17
CHAPTER
I. ON COLLECTING MINIATURES AND THE CARE
OF THEM 19
II. ORIGIN OF MINIATURES, AND A METHOD OF
PAINTING THEM 43
III. CONCERNING ENAMELS AND ENAMEL PAINTERS 63
IV. HOLBEIN, AND EARLY MINIATURE PAINTERS 95
V. NICHOLAS HILLIARD 123
VI. THE OLIVERS AND HOSKINS 145
VII. SAMUEL COOPER 171
VIII. PETITOT 191
IX. SOME GEORGIAN ARTISTS 211
X. COSWAY AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES 229
XI. THE LAST OF THE OLD SCHOOL 261
XII. ROYAL AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS 279
XIII. PUBLIC COLLECTIONS 301
XIV. THE FRENCH SCHOOL OF MINIATURE PAINTERS 325
CONCLUSION 361
INDEX 367
ILLUSTRATIONS
FRONTISPIECE.
_Portrait of a Lady_, by J. Mansion (Wallace Collection).
PAGE
CHAPTER I.--ON COLLECTING MINIATURES AND THE CARE
OF THEM.
_Lady Villiers_ and _Katharine, Fifth Duchess of Leeds_, by R.
Cosway, R.A. (Col. W. H. Walker) 23
_Louisa of Stolberg_, a Jacobite badge (A. Lang, Esq.)
_Mr. Barbor and the Barbor Jewel_ (Victoria and Albert
Museum). _Charles I. in his own hair_ (Shelley family) 29
_Queen Elizabeth_ (Harcourt family). _Miss Pretyman_,
by R. Cosway, R.A. (J. Davison, Esq.) 37