While it may be true that miniature portraiture originated in England, it was the French who perfected the art form. At least, that it is my personal opinion.
Of course, when acquiring pieces for my collection, I have tried to assemble a well rounded mix of genres. This includes seeking pieces from a diverse mix of geographic locations (England, America, France and other parts of continental Europe) as well as different periods of time. All things considered, though, my favorite pieces tend to be French. I suppose it is the ease with which French artists blend refinement and softness that appeals to me most.
Following are three French portraits from my collection that group well together. They are not at all related — they were acquired at different times and from different sources — but they nonetheless compliment each other well. Aside from their beauty, none of the three is noteworthy or special from an academic standpoint. None is signed, their subjects are not identified and they have no unique story to tell. There is, nonetheless, something about each of the three that speaks to me; and they are an ideal fit with the character of my overall collection.
Portrait of a Middle Aged Gentleman of Pre-Revolutionary Bourbon Era France
Artist: thus far unidentified
Date/age: circa 1780 (234 years ago, as of this writing)
Size: 2 3/4 inches in diameter (unframed)
Medium: watercolor and gouache on thin ivory wafer
At about 234 years old, this portrait is the oldest of the three in this grouping. Its subject is a kind-looking gentleman of the Bourbon Era, painted about a decade prior to the French Revolution. He is finely dressed, indicative of a man of means. His hair is lightly powdered and appears to be worn “en queue” (gathered in a braid to the rear and tied off with a ribbon, a portion of which can be seen over the subject’s left shoulder). The gentleman also wears an elegant, ruffled jabot, which appears to be made of an ornate, lace-like material.
Sadly, the portrait has suffered some wear over its 234 years. Examining it outside of its frame, one can see small patches of paint loss; the painting’s red pigment (the most transitory of all pigments), has faded, leaving the subject looking somewhat pale; and there are signs of what appears to be minor moisture damage (note the faint aura that can be detected around the subject’s head). These imperfections do not detract, however, from the overall beauty and charm of the piece; and it remains a fine representation of late eighteenth century French portraiture. The artist, though unidentified, has executed his work with fine detail; and he has captured a look of kindness and sincerity in the subject that leaves the viewer wanting to know more about him.
A photo of how the miniature portrait appears when removed from its frame. Note the sheen of the subject’s coat and the light airiness with which his jabot has been painted. Note, too, the balance of light and shadow in the otherwise gray background, giving the impression that the piece was perhaps painted at dusk.
A closeup view of the unframed subject. The softness and fine detail with which his jabot has been painted are impressive — especially considering that, at its widest point, it is only a quarter of an inch wide.
View of the miniature portrait as it appears fully framed. The round ivory wafer upon which the portrait has been painted is protected behind glass, which has been set within a round slip mount frame made of gilt copper (copper upon which an outer layer of gold has been applied). This slip mount frame has, in turn, been set within a square shaped outer frame made of wood (as opposed to an outer frame made of papier-mâché, as would be more commonly found in Great Britain). The wooden outer frame has been carved with an attractive, recessed scoop (providing a greater sense of depth and dimension to the overall piece) and is stained with a rich, mahogany-like stain. Not surprisingly, given its age, this outer frame has several scratches and nicks and its stain finish is worn in some areas. In contrast, the gold of the inner slip mount frame has maintained its luster remarkably well over the two centuries since it was made.
The inner slip mount frame measures 3 1/16 inches in diameter. The wooden outer frame measures 4 3/4 inches wide by 4 15/16 inches tall.
Historical Context At the time this portrait is estimated to have been painted, circa 1780, King Louis XVI was in the sixth year of his eighteen year reign as King of France. The year (in fact, the entire decade) was marked by lavishness and decadent excess amongst France’s privileged class. This came to be resented by those Frenchmen of lesser means, especially as a severe drought and financial crisis gripped the nation during the latter part of the 1780s.
Fomenting discontent amongst the general French populous culminated in disaster for King Louis. By 1789, his world came crashing down, as angry and hungry crowds stormed the Bastille during riots in Paris, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.
Ironically, it was King Louis’ support of American rebels that contributed to his own downfall at the hands of domestic rebels in his own country. Likely motivated out of a desire to diminish his British rival, King George III, more than to support ideals of liberty, King Louis actively supported the North American colonists in their effort to seek independence from Great Britain. This support, while helpful to the Americans, resulted in massive debt that weighed heavily on the French economy and magnified discontent amongst the French king’s own people.
Outside of France, American patriots were actively engaged in their War of Independence from Great Britain — 1780 having been the fifth year of the nearly eight year-long Revolutionary War. No less than 28 significant military engagements were fought in 1780 alone, resulting in significant casualties on both sides.
Portrait of a Young Girl of the French Bourbon Restoration Era
Artist: thus far unidentified
Date/age: circa 1815 (199 years ago, as of this writing)
Size: 2 5/16 inches in diameter (unframed)
Medium: watercolor and gouache on thin ivory wafer
This portrait is extraordinarily well painted and is in superb shape for a two centuries old watercolor portrait. The subject is a young girl who appears to be about seven or eight years old. Sadly, she is unidentified; but, based upon her appearance, we can assume that she was of a family of importance and great means. She wears an elegant “empire dress”, made popular by Napoleon’s first wife, Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, during the First French Empire (1804-1814). The dress is fitted with an elegant high-back collar of silk lace that contributes to the subject’s look of importance. The girl also wears a double strand of pearls, a silk scarf and a tortoise shell hair comb — all adding to the overall sense of refinement of the piece.
A photo of how the miniature portrait appears when removed from its frame. Unencumbered by the glare of the framed portrait’s glass lens, the viewer gets a better sense of the portrait’s brightness of color and fine detail. This fine detail aside, however, the painter has imparted a sense of softness to the portrait that is both soothing and inviting.
A closeup view of the unframed subject. The artist has incorporated a great variety of elements into the portrait — remarkable, considering that the distance between the girl’s two shoulders is a mere 1 3/8 inches.
View of the miniature portrait as it appears fully framed. The inner slip mount frame measures 2 3/4 inches in diameter. The wooden outer frame measures 4 12/16 inches wide by 4 3/4 inches tall. Both the wooden outer frame and the gold gilt inner frame are in superb condition.
Historical Context At the time this portrait is estimated to have been painted, circa 1815, King Louis XVIII (brother of deposed King Louis XVI) was in the second year of his ten year reign as King of France. A year earlier, a coalition of European forces had defeated Emperor Napoleon, ending the First French Empire and restoring the French monarchy to the House of Bourbon (hence the era being referred to as the Bourbon Restoration). France enjoyed relative calm and stability during the sixteen years of restored Bourbon reign, a welcome change from the constant battles and instability of the previous era.
Outside France, James Madison was in the second year of his second term as the fourth President of the United States. In 1815, American forces continued to fend off attempted British invasions (in both New Orleans and Alabama), until ratification that year of the Treaty of Ghent, which brought the War of 1812 to an official close.
Portrait of a Young Boy of the French Second Republic
Artist: thus far unidentified
Date/age: circa 1850 (164 years ago, as of this writing)
Size: 2 3/4 inches in diameter (unframed)
Medium: watercolor and gouache on thin ivory wafer
Of the portraits featured herein, this is the most recent of the three, being just 164 years old. (While it may seem silly, to refer to a 164-year old portrait as more “recent”, it is indeed 70 years younger than the portrait of the middle aged gentleman, and 35 years younger than the portrait of the young girl.)
At first glance, this portrait is immediately inviting. Unlike the slightly austere expression on the girl’s face in the portrait above, the boy in this portrait is portrayed with a soft smile and an inviting glance. By all appearances, I would guess him to be eleven or twelve years old. He is depicted wearing formal evening attire, consistent with fashion trends of the 1850s, leaving one to believe that his family was active in high social circles.
A photo of how the miniature portrait appears when removed from its frame. Typical of French portraits, there is a softness conveyed in its detail. The artist has, likewise, achieved superb, natural color tones in the subject’s face and hair. Sadly, there several small, dark spots on the portrait’s monochrome background, serving as evidence that the portrait was once kept in a humid environment. These spots do not detract from the overall quality and character of the piece, however, and actually lend a touch of antique charm.
A closeup view of the unframed subject. Viewing an enlarged version of the portrait, one could easily imagine that the original was not a miniature portrait but, rather, a full-sized portrait. Such is the skill with which the painter has executed his work. The layered brush strokes on the boy’s face are particularly impressive, creating a soft, life-like appearance. This is doubly impressive considering how tiny these brush strokes are — the subject’s face being a mere 5/8 of an inch at its widest point.
View of the miniature portrait as it appears fully framed. The inner slip mount frame measures 3 1/8 inches in diameter. The wooden outer frame measures 5 inches wide by 5 1/16 inches tall. The wooden outer frame is in superb condition, but the gold gilt inner frame has lost some of its luster and has suffered some discoloration as a result of oxidation (additional evidence of the portrait having been kept for some time in a humid location).
Historical Context
At the time this portrait is estimated to have been painted, circa 1850, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte) was in the second of his four years as the first President of France (otherwise referred to at the time as the French Second Republic), having been elected by direct popular vote. Not satisfied with presidential powers in a democratic republic, however, Bonaparte himself organized a coup d’état in 1851, taking control of the government and appointing himself emperor, marking the creation of what is referred to as the Second French Empire. The former President Bonaparte took the throne as the self anointed Napoleon III, on 2 December 1852, not coincidentally the forty-eighth anniversary of Napoleon I’s coronation. As emperor, Napoleon III reigned supreme until defeated in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Interestingly, he goes down in history as both the first president and the last monarch of France.
Outside of France, Millard Fillmore was in the first year of his single term as the thirteenth President of the United States. He was not elected to the presidency but, rather, as Vice President, assumed the presidency upon the death of President Zachary Taylor, who died in office on July 9, 1850. There are many who argue that Fillmore could never have been elected on his own merits and, in fact, he is consistently included in the bottom 10 of historical rankings of Presidents of the United States.
Back across the Atlantic, in 1850, Queen Victoria was in the thirteenth year of her sixty-four year reign as Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Above is a grouping of the three portraits displayed together. Viewing the portraits beside each other in this manner, the viewer immediately understands my earlier comment that the three pieces are a perfect compliment to each other. Despite the span of seventy years between them, they all exhibit telltale signs of well-trained and well-executed French portraiture.
Viewing the three portraits as a grouping also sheds light on how one can add valued to a collection by acquiring pieces over time that compliment each other and contribute to the strength of an overall portfolio of fine art.
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Copyright © 2014 Michael Tormey. All rights reserved. All images contained herein are the property of Michael Tormey unless specifically noted otherwise.
