{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O157938"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O157938/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU1662/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU1662/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU1662","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU1667","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O157938/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O157938","accessionNumber":"LOAN:GILBERT.277-2008","objectType":"Miniature","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"George Spencer (1739-1817) succeeded his father to become 4th Duke of Marlborough in 1758. In 1762 he was made Lord Chamberlain, and a year later Lord Privy Seal.  He lived at Blenheim Palace. Before he become a miniaturist, Gervase Spencer (about 1715–63) was employed as a gentleman's servant.  He became a successful miniature painter on the newly fashionable base of ivory and later also produced work in enamel.  \r\n\r\nContinental artists first introduced enamel painting to England in the 17th century. But it was in the early 18th century that it became fashionable. The young German Christian Friedrich Zincke dominated the market in London. It was Zincke who trained a number of English artists, including William Prewett. Most artists working in enamel were taught by an experienced enameller. It is not known who trained Gervase Spencer this difficult art, but he later taught Henry Spicer, who in turn taught William Birch. In 1794 Birch successfully established himself in America as an enamel painter.\r\n\r\nSir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes.  Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.","physicalDescription":"Oval miniature bust length portrait of George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough shown with powdered hair wearing a red and blue uniform. The miniature is enamel on copper., with an inner frame of gilded brass, and an outer frame of tortoiseshell and gilded copper alloy. The original oval frame of gilt-brass with a gold front is set in a later rectangular tortoiseshell and copper, gold and silver alloy frame. \r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Spencer, Gervase","id":"A9831"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":"probably"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"enamel","id":"AAT14910"},{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"},{"text":"gilt-brass","id":"x38746"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"tortoise shell","id":"AAT11837"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"},{"text":"framing","id":"AAT240903"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamel on copper, gilt-brass, tortoiseshell and gilded copper alloy","categories":[{"text":"Enamels","id":"THES48876"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BU1662","2008BU1667"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"70B","id":"THES413996"},"free":"","case":"CA002","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"miniature","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1756","earliest":"1756-01-01","latest":"1756-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"7.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured 02/05/24 IW ","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signed and dated 'G.S./1756'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In red on lower right"},{"content":"Inscribed 'George Spencer, Duke of Marlborough, from Rev Hawkins Collection'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On paper label on reverse"}],"objectHistory":"Provenance: Reverend Hawkins Collection.  D.S. Lavender, 1980.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Enamel miniature on copper of George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, in a tortoiseshell and gilded copper alloy frame, England, 1756, by Gervase Spencer.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Coffin, Sarah and Bodo Hofstetter. <u>Portrait Miniatures in Enamel</u>. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd. in association with the Gilbert Collection, 2000. 168 p., ill. Cat. no. 52, p. 103. ISBN 0856675334."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Marlborough, George Spencer (Duke)","id":"N9011"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"male","id":"AAT189559"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough\r\n1756\r\n\r\nGeorge Spencer (1739–1817) succeeded his father to\r\nbecome 4th Duke of Marlborough in 1758. He lived\r\nat Blenheim Palace.\r\n\r\nEngland; Gervase Spencer (about 1715–63)\r\nEnamel on copper in original gilded brass rim,\r\nset in later frame of tortoiseshell and copper,\r\ngold and silver alloy\r\nSigned and dated in red on lower right ‘G.S. 1756’;\r\ninscribed on paper label on reverse\r\n‘George Spencer Duke of Marlborough\r\nfrom Rev Hawkins Collection’\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.277-2008","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["LOAN:GILBERT.277-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"277","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:GILBERT","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.786.1"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MIN 21"},{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.791.1"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MIN 26"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2018LC0728"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-17","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-26","availableToBook":false}}