{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O62538"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O62538/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM5614/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM5614/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM5614","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM6472","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O62538/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O62538","accessionNumber":"P.24-1975","objectType":"Portrait miniature","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>The other known version of this miniature, also by Hilliard, is in the collection of Her Majesty the Queen. Examination has revealed that the Queen's version uses the more expensive blue pigment ultramarine for the background, while the V&A version uses the more common blue bice. The Queen's version is the more costly object and is generally believed to be the one painted from life.<br><br><b>People</b><br>The troubled reign in Scotland of Mary, Queen of Scots ended in 1568 when the Scottish Lords forced her to flee to England. Mary had long claimed the English throne and as a Roman Catholic, had English Catholic supporters who wished to see her Queen instead of the Protestant Elizabeth. Mary was placed in the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury and held in various country houses for 19 years. In 1587 Mary was executed for treason against Elizabeth.<br><br><b>Sittings</b><br>Mary sat for this portrait when she was a prisoner of her cousin Elizabeth I. Hilliard was not a court artist, but had an independent practice in London. It is possible that this miniature was commissioned by Mary herself rather than by Elizabeth. But Mary's jailer, the Earl of Shrewsbury would have had to sanction the sittings. In this portrait, Mary prominently wears a gold crucifix with a white figure of Christ, thus asserting her Catholicism.","physicalDescription":"Portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots, painted in watercolour on vellum, stuck to card with an oval mount from the later 17th century.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Hilliard, Nicholas","id":"A8506"},"association":{"text":"painter (artist)","id":"AAT25136"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"vellum","id":"AAT11852"},{"text":"Watercolour","id":"AAT15045"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on vellum","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Royalty","id":"THES48899"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AM5614","2006AM6472"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"57A (VA)","id":"THES49240"},"free":"","case":"CA4","shelf":"","box":"29"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"miniature (painting)","id":"AAT33936"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1578-1579","earliest":"1578-01-01","latest":"1579-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1675-1700","earliest":"1675-01-01","latest":"1700-12-31"},"association":{"text":"mounted","id":"AAT81370"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Mrs Doris Herschorn","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"miniature","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"5.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"miniature","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Publication/measured; 03/03/1999 by sp\n\nold frame 7.6 x 9.5cm, 0.7cm depth","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'MARIA, Regina Scotia'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8877"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"on rectangular vellum surround","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"on rectangular vellum surround"}],"objectHistory":"From 'Artists of the Tudor Court', V&amp;A exhibition, 1983, entry for P.23-1975:  This miniature once belonged to a group of ten, four of which are now in the V&A [P.23-1975, P.24-1975, P.27-1975 and P.28-1975 - all framed in the same way with the miniature laid onto a later piece of parchment and inscribed with details of the sitter].  The earliest account of their history (Lord Ronald Sutherland Gower, The Great Historic Galleries of England, London, 1881, pl. xx) is highly romanticized and claims provenance from James II via Louis XIV which cannot be proved.  Their certain history is as follows: acquired in Paris by James Edwards (1757-1816), bookseller and bibliographer, probably in the aftermath of the Treaty of Amiens; sold Christie’s July 15th 1816 (lot 61); acquired by the Rev. Thomas Butt of Kinnersley, Shropshire, who married Edward’s widow; by descent to Capt. H. Edwards-Heathcote, Belton Hall, Market Drayton; sold Christie’s June 13th 1928 (lot 45); purchased by Mrs Doris Herschorn; bequeathed, 1975.\n\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Portrait miniature of Mary, Queen of Scots, painted by Nicholas Hilliard.  English, 1578-1579.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Mary Queen of Scots","id":"A1708"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nMary Queen of Scots (1542-1587) sat for this portrait when she was a prisoner of Elizabeth I.  Mary had asserted her claim to the English throne and Elizabeth felt compelled to keep her in custody. Elizabeth probably commissioned this portrait of her cousin whom she never met.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["P.24-1975"],"accessionNumberNum":"24","accessionNumberPrefix":"P","accessionYear":1975,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN2520","2019LP6312","2019LR4601","2019LU0038","2019LV5936"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-26","recordCreationDate":"2001-09-12","availableToBook":false}}