{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O157957"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O157957/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU1719/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU1719/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU1719","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU1768","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/O157957/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O157957","accessionNumber":"LOAN:GILBERT.283-2008","objectType":"Miniature","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Continental artists first introduced enamel painting to England in the 17th century, but it wasn't until the early 18th century that it became fashionable. The young German Christian Friedrich Zincke dominated the market for small portraiture in London. Most artists working in enamel were taught by an experienced enameller, and Zincke trained a number of English artists. It is not known who trained the maker of this portrait, Gervase Spencer, though before becoming a miniaturist, Spencer 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.  \n\nThis portrait, and another in the Gilbert Collection (LOAN:GILBERT.284-2008) are examples of refitting and adapting family heirlooms to safeguard them for future generations, while sometimes inadvertently adding erroneous information. Although the two miniatures are by different artists and of different dates, the frames and their inscriptions are almost identical, reading 'Thomas Tilson Father of Lady Deane', and 'Mother of Charlot Tilson Lady Deane'. The two portraits were sold at auction in 1981 by Lord Muskerry, their direct descendant. The costume of Mrs Tilson can be dated to about 1720, but that of Mr Tilson dates to 15 years later, when he would have been in his 40s or 50s. However, he looks too young to be of that age. Instead, the sitter could be Mrs Tilson's son-in-law, Sir Robert Deane (c.1707-70), whom her daughter married in 1738. It is possible that the two miniatures were framed as a matching set and inscribed with the confused identification, possibly by Sir Robert's son, Robert Tilson Deane (1745-1818), who became the first Baron Muskerry in 1780.\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 portrait of a man, possibly Thomas Tilson father of Lady Deane, wearing a blue jacket. The miniature is enamel on copper and the frame is a silver rim, with agate backs, engraved with an inscription.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Spencer, Gervase","id":"A9831"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"enamel","id":"AAT14910"},{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"agate","id":"AAT11135"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"},{"text":"framing","id":"AAT240903"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamel on copper, in paste-set silver-rim frame with agate backs","categories":[{"text":"Enamels","id":"THES48876"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BU1719","2008BU1768"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES412613"},"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":"ca. 1740","earliest":"1735-01-01","latest":"1744-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"LOAN:GILBERT.284-2008","id":"O157958"},"association":"Ensemble"}],"creditLine":"The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"6.12","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":"1.14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured 01/02/24 IW","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signed 'GS'","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":"Engraved 'Thomas Tilson Father of Lady Deane'","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 frame"}],"objectHistory":"Provenance: Lord Muskerry. Sale, Christie's London, lot 53, 24/11/1981. D.S. Lavender, London, 01/10/1982.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Enamel miniature on copper possibly of Thomas Tilson, in a silver frame with an agate back, England, ca.1740, 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. 53, pp. 103-104. ISBN 0856675334."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Minter, Alice et al. <u>Masterpieces in Miniature: Treasures from the  Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection. </u>London: V&A Publishing, 2021,  p.58, cat.34"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Possibly Thomas Tilson, Lady Deane’s father\r\nAbout 1740\r\n\r\nAlthough the miniature frame names this figure, this\r\nattribution is doubtful. His costume has been dated\r\nbetween 1735 and 1745, while that of his ‘wife’ (10) is\r\ndated earlier. One suggestion is that this figure is not\r\nLady Deane’s father, but her husband, Robert Deane.\r\n\r\nEngland; Gervase Spencer (about 1715–63)\r\nEnamel on copper in paste-set silver-rim frame\r\nwith agate backs\r\nSigned ‘GS’ in red on lower right; engraved on frame\r\n‘Thomas Tilson Father of Lady Deane’\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.283-2008","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["LOAN:GILBERT.283-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"283","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:GILBERT","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.804.1"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MIN 39A"},{"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":["2018LC0743"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-01","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-26","availableToBook":false}}