{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O77689"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77689/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM5602/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM5602/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM5602","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AP5780","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM6112","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KE1842","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O77689/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O77689","accessionNumber":"627-1882","objectType":"Portrait Miniature","titles":[{"title":"Portrait Miniature of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br> The word 'miniature' describes the technique of working in watercolour on vellum (a fine kind of parchment made from the skins of lamb or kid) rather than the size of the painting.<br><br><b>People</b><br>This is a portrait of Sarah Churchill  (1660-1744), née Jennings, who married John Churchill (1650-1722) in 1678.  Churchill, a notable soldier, was raised to the English peerage as Baron Churchill in 1685, and was subsequently created 1st Duke of Marlborough.  When Churchill met Sarah Jennings, she was working as an attendant to Princess Anne (1650-1714), the future Queen.  The friendship between Sarah and Anne, who nicknamed themselves Mrs Morley and Mrs Freeman, played a crucial part in the fortunes of the Churchills. Churchill  had his most famous victory at Blenheim in 1704, two years after Anne ascended the throne. By 1710, however, the Churchills were out of favour with the Queen, due to a quarrel between Anne and Sarah.  This portrait, probably a copy of an oil painting, celebrates the Churchill's famous marriage through the inclusion of a miniature of the Duke worn on the Duchess's wrist.<br><br><b>Frame</b><br>The 19th-century owner of this miniature put it in an ornate gold frame.  But Bernard Lens III, the younger (1681-1740), who painted this miniature, was famed for his simple pearwood frames that were stained black (they are still called 'Lens frames').  The present frame on this miniature is a recreation of a Lens frame.","physicalDescription":"Full-length portrait miniature depicts Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, standing against a rocky and vegetal landscape. She is centre stage, wearing a light blue, almost silvery dress overlaid with a bright blue cape. On her wrist, she wears a bracelet that appears to be a miniature portrait. Watercolour on vellum in carved gilt wooden frame. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Lens, Bernard (III, the younger)","id":"A8611"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on vellum","categories":[{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Miniatures","id":"THES269968"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AM5602","2006AP5780","2006AM6112","2017KE1842"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"54A (VA)","id":"THES49250"},"free":"","case":"CA2","shelf":"","box":"5"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"miniature (painting)","id":"AAT33936"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1720","earliest":"1720-01-01","latest":"1720-12-31"},"association":{"text":"dated","id":"AAT54714"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by John Jones","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"40.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"internal measurement of frame","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"internal measurement of frame","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: measured; 25/02/1999 by DW\n\nnew frame dimensions supplied by Tim Newberry 13/11/2000 - these updated by Alan Derbyshire Oct 2001","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'her Grace the Dutchess (sic) / of marlbourgh (sic) Bernard Lens Fecit advium (sic) et Londini / Dec ye 31 1720'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8877"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"backboard","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Backboard"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Portrait Miniature, Full Lenght Portrait Miniature of Sarah Churchill (1660-1744), Duchess of Marlborough by Bernard Lens III (the younger), watercolour on vellum, London, probably, 1720.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Damiët Schneeweisz, Rosalind McKever, and Adriana Concin. <i>The Portrait Miniature: A New History</i>. London: Thames & Hudson and the V&A, 2026.","id":"AUTH411474"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Marlborough, Sarah Churchill (Duchess of)","id":"N2505"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nSarah Churchill (1660-1744) was famous for her brilliant conversation and commanding manner. For some years she was the closest friend of Queen Anne (1665-1714). Here the duchess wears on her wrist a portrait miniature of her husband. An intimate portrait like this might have stood on a dressing table in a private chamber.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["627-1882"],"accessionNumberNum":"627","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1882,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LR0023","2019LP7318","2019LV7031","2019LV6256"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-22","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}