{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O75082"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O75082/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MD6060/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MD6060/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MD6060","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AP6300","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O75082/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O75082","accessionNumber":"E.599-1994","objectType":"Miniature","titles":[{"title":"Oliver Cromwell, Protector","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"Andrew Benjamin Lens was the son of Bernard Lens, the first artist in England to work in watercolour on ivory rather than vellum. Working on ivory was the invention of the Venetian artist Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757). Lens’s earliest known work on ivory dates from 1707. He also worked on vellum, catering for the consciously old-fashioned taste of some collectors. This miniature is one of a series by father and son of portraits of English kings, queens and, in this case, Oliver Cromwell, who represents the Commonwealth period between the execution of King Charles I in 1649 and the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. \r\n\r\nThis miniature is on vellum and has the solid blue background typical of Tudor and early Stuart miniatures, and so appears to be a ‘traditional’ miniature of an historical character. Early 18th-century antiquarians had a passion for collecting so-called ‘heads’ - portraits of famous people. Horace Walpole, an amateur pupil of Bernard Lens, typified this mania, with a collection of thousands of prints and paintings of famous people.","physicalDescription":"Copy of a portrait of Oliver Cromwell.  The frame is labelled \"P. Oliver Cromwell\" [Protector, Oliver Cromwell].  It is signed in gold lower left with A B Lens monogram [ABL]\r\n\r\nThis portrait is part of a series of over 30 images by Bernard Lens and his sons, of the Kings and Queens of England.  The V&A holds 4 examples of this series.  On the reverse of each work is an inscription, probably not by the artist, giving the serial number of the series and the source of the work, for example \"after Holbin\" (ie. Hans Holbein),  \"after Hilyard\" (ie. after Nicholas Hilliard).  Each work is on vellum (fine animal skin) and signed in monogram, and each is framed in a turned wood frame inscribed in gold with the sitters name.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Lens, Andrew Benjamin","id":"A7678"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"vellum","id":"AAT11852"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on vellum","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2019MD6060","2006AP6300"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"RMC","shelf":"1","box":"J"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"miniature (painting)","id":"AAT33936"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"mid 18th century","earliest":"1725-01-01","latest":"1775-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"50","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Portrait miniature by Andrew Benjamin Lens (1713-1779) depicting Oliver Cromwell. Great Britain, ca. mid 18th century.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Cromwell, Oliver (Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland)","id":"N1996"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.599-1994"],"accessionNumberNum":"599","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1994,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-19","recordCreationDate":"2003-02-25","availableToBook":false}}