{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O157948"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O157948/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU1696/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU1696/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU1696","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU1697","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/O157948/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O157948","accessionNumber":"LOAN:GILBERT.270-2008","objectType":"Miniature","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Gervase Spencer was formerly a gentleman's servant. He taught himself to paint miniatures in watercolour, working on the newly fashionable support of ivory. He later also painted miniatures in enamel. \r\n\r\nIn the 17th century, new techniques of painting enamels allowed delicate portraits resembling tiny oil paintings to be created. These enamel miniatures were first fashionable in continental Europe, but were particularly in vogue in Britain from the 1720s to 1760s. Painted enamels were made by firing finely milled glass which had been coloured with metal oxides onto a metal base, usually gold or copper. The colours had to be applied and fired in several stages, according to the firing temperature required by each colour. Incredible precision was needed for a successful enamel portrait, since each firing carried risks of cracks and bubbles that might ruin the entire effort.\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 a man, probably Sir William Morden, shown with powdered hair and wearing a red and white uniform with white braid against a grey-green background. The miniature is enamel on copper and the frame is an oval gold pendant.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Spencer, Gervase","id":"A9831"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"enamel","id":"AAT14910"}],"techniques":[{"text":"framing","id":"AAT240903"},{"text":"painting","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamel on copper, gold pendant frame","categories":[{"text":"Enamels","id":"THES48876"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BU1696","2008BU1697"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"011","id":"THES404893"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"miniature","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1755","earliest":"1755-01-01","latest":"1755-12-31"},"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":"6.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured 29/01/24 IW","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signed and dated 'GS 1755' (?)","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Provenance: D.S. Lavender, London, 01/10/1981.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Enamel miniature on copper probably of Sir William Morden, in a gold pendant frame, England, 1755, 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. 55, p. 105. ISBN 0856675334."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Morden, William (Sir)","id":"N9007"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"6. Probably Sir William Morden\r\n1755\r\n\r\nGervase Spencer taught himself to paint miniatures in watercolour, working on the newly fashionable base of ivory. Later he also painted in enamel, responding to an increasing demand.\r\n\r\nEngland; Gervase Spencer (about 1715–63)\r\nEnamel on copper in original, unopened gold pendant case\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.270-2008","date":{"text":"16/11/2016","earliest":"2016-11-16","latest":"2016-11-16"}},{"text":"Probably Sir William Morden\r\n1755\r\n\r\nGervase Spencer was formerly a gentleman’s servant.\r\nHe taught himself to paint miniatures in watercolour,\r\nworking on the newly fashionable support of ivory.\r\nHe later also painted in enamel.\r\n\r\nEngland; Gervase Spencer (about 1715–63)\r\nEnamel on copper in original, unopened gold pendant case\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.270-2008","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["LOAN:GILBERT.270-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"270","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:GILBERT","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.796.1"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MIN 31"},{"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":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-08","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-26","availableToBook":false}}