{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O82253"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O82253/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF9009/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF9009/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF9009","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU1118","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O82253/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O82253","accessionNumber":"P.8-1946","objectType":"Portrait miniature","titles":[{"title":"An Unknown man holding a miniature","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"Miniature painting originally referred to the art of painting in watercolour on vellum (fine animal skin). It developed in the early 16th century out of the tradition of illuminating manuscripts (hand-written books). In England, miniature was predominantly a portrait art. It was practised by specialist miniature painters, such as Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619). On the Continent, miniature painting as a portrait art had a few great practitioners, such as the French painter Jean Clouet (1516?-1572). But not even Clouet was a specialist. Like Hans Holbein, he worked both in miniature and in large in oil.\r\n\r\nIn France, it was not until the 1770s that a notable school of portrait miniaturists emerged. It was only then that they were able to rival English ones, such as Richard Cosway (1742-1821) and John Smart (1742-1811). Like Cosway and Smart, these French artists worked in watercolour on ivory.\r\n\r\nIn the early 18th century ivory began to replace vellum as a support for miniature painting. It was introduced by Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757), a Venetian artist. Its use developed in distinct ways in England and on the Continent. In continental Europe, and especially in France, Carriera's method of using opaque 'gouache' (watercolour mixed with white) was influential. She exploited the ivory primarily by leaving the face transparent. In contrast, by the 1770s artists of the English School tended towards transparent pigments. They very rarely used gouache.","physicalDescription":"Feigned oval portrait miniature of an unknown man holding a miniature, watercolour on rectangular ivory.  The man is very pale with a bluish tinge to the skin.  He appears half-length, wearing a cobalt blue and grey coat with three grey tassles down the front, and with one mustard coloured glove with his gloved hand on his hip.  The hand holding the miniature is ungloved.  He stands against a background of brown drapery.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour on ivory","categories":[{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AF9009","2017JU1118"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"RMC","shelf":"6","box":"4"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"miniature (painting)","id":"AAT33936"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"France","id":"x28849"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"early 18th century","earliest":"1700-01-01","latest":"1750-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"3.875","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"3.125","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from <u>Victoria &amp; Albert Museum Department of Engraving Illustration and Design &amp; Department of Paintings,  Accessions 1946</u>.  London:  Published under the Authority of the Ministry of Education, 1949.","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Portrait miniature of an unknown man holding a miniature, watercolour on ivory. Anonymous, French, early 18th century.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victoria &amp; Albert Museum Department of Engraving Illustration and Design &amp; Department of Paintings,  Accessions 1946</u>.  London:  Published under the Authority of the Ministry of Education, 1949.<#caret>"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"miniature","id":"AAT33936"},{"text":"man","id":"x42677"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["P.8-1946"],"accessionNumberNum":"8","accessionNumberPrefix":"P","accessionYear":1946,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-19","recordCreationDate":"2003-07-11","availableToBook":false}}