1 - European Miniature Portraits

Unknown - portrait of Antonio Canova

2011-12-26T19:55:00.000-08:00

The artist for this portrait is unknown and to date, no previous portrait of Canova in this pose has been located, hence it may well be an original miniature portrait.

Antonio Canova (1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822) was an Italian sculptor from the Republic of Venice who became famous for his marble sculptures that delicately rendered nude flesh. The epitome of the neoclassical style, his work marked a return to classical refinement after the theatrical excesses of Baroque sculpture.

In 1815 he was commissioned by the Pope to superintend the return from Paris of those works of art which had formerly been conveyed thither under the direction of Napoleon. In the autumn of 1815 he gratified a wish he had long entertained of visiting London, where he received the highest tokens of esteem.

It has been suggested that the artist for whom he showed particular sympathy and regard in London was Benjamin Haydon, who might at the time be counted the sole representative of historical painting there, and whom he especially honored for his championship of the then recently transported to England and ignorantly depreciated by polite connoisseurs Parthenon's marbles. It is said, the Elgin marbles - after a recommendation by Canova - were acquired by the British Museum, while plaster copies were sent to Florence, Italy, according to Canova's request.

Among Canova's English pupils were sculptors Sir Richard Westmacott and John Gibson. A miniature of Canova by Henry Bone was painted in 1821 as an enamel copy of the original by John Jackson. In June 2009 Sotheby's sold the Canova portrait by Bone for £23,750. Although a little larger, (243mm x 195mm), it forms a striking pair with an enamel portrait of Sir Anthony Carlisle FRS and later PRCS, (205mm x 170mm) also by Henry Bone which is in this collection, see View

While in London, Canova attended several lectures by Carlisle who was then Professor of Anatomy at the Royal Academy (1808-1824). Although the lectures of Carlisle were hugely popular, he was much maligned by Haydon for teaching the beauty of human form based upon live models and discussing Greek sculpture, rather than teaching the underlying human muscle structure from dissected cadavers, as had been the practice of the two previous Professors of Anatomy at the RA, William Hunter and John Sheldon. A factor that disinclined Carlisle to teach from dissected cadavers, was the experience of his immediate predecessor, Sheldon, who had the unfortunate experience of realising that a subject delivered to him for dissection was in fact the resurrected body of his own sister, who had died several days previously.

The credit granted to Haydon by some scholars in respect of the acquisition of the Elgin Marbles, would be better directed towards Carlisle, and Carlisle's father-in-law, John Symmons, who was prominent in society and had seconded Lord Elgin's second attempt to join the Dilettanti. Although it was not until Elgin's third nomination in 1811, that his nomination to membership was successful. Carlisle and Symmons were far more influential in London society than Haydon, whose style of painting was then out of fashion.

Other portraits of Canova painted during his 1815 visit to London were by George Hayter and Thomas Lawrence.

Canova returned to Rome in the beginning of 1816, with the ransomed spoils of his country's genius. Immediately after, he received several marks of distinction: he was made President of the Accademia di San Luca, the main artistic institution in Rome, and by the hand of the Pope himself his name was inscribed in "the Golden Volume of the Capitol", and he received the title of Marquis of Ischia, with an annual pension of 3000 crowns. 1460

Massard, J - portrait of young lady

2011-09-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait of a young lady is signed indistinctly, but the name appears to be J Massard. Unusually, it is also dated 18 August 1831.

She is wearing mutton-chop sleeves and the precise date is a valuable guide to clothing and hair styles fashionable in France in 1831.

Nathalie Lemoine-Bouchard lists;
MASSARD Jean Marie Raphaël Léopold (Crouy-sur-Ourcq, 29 janvier 1812 – Paris, 13 mars 1889), but no miniatures by him are known for comparison.

In 1831 he would have been aged 19, so it is possible it is an early work by him, but the precise date of the signature here (day and year) tends to indicate an amateur artist.

Therefore it has been suggested it would be preferable at this stage to list this miniature as a previously unrecorded French artist;
J. Massard, active in 1831, that is separate from the first one. 1429

Gautaloz - A French Family

2011-08-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

These three miniature portraits are believed to be of the same family, although they are unidentified.

Only one of the portraits is signed by the artist, that of the girl, and so far, it has not been possible to firmly attribute the name. The inscription appears to read "Fait par Gautaloz 1822" for 'made by' an artist with a name similar to Gautaloz or Gantaloz. However, those names do not appear in reference books such as Blattel. Hence, it is either a different name, or the portraits are the work of a previously unrecorded artist.

There is quite a family likeness between the mother and daughter, and as the pose is also so similar, it is believed all three portraits were painted by the same artist.

Both mother and daughter are wearing red coral necklaces, and the daughter appears to have a red coral comb in her hair. At this time coral was believed to ward off illness, which is a major reason for so many females to be seen with coral jewellery in portrait miniatures of this period. 1430, 1431, 1432

Lafontaine-Saran, Marceline Emilie - self portrait

2011-07-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Self-portraits always seem special and this miniature self-portrait on enamel by Marceline Emilie Lafontaine-Saran is no exception.

There are several self-portraits in this collection, but this is the only one painted in enamel. Painting in enamel is an especially demanding technique, as the colours need to be applied separately and they change colour during the process of firing in a kiln.

It is signed Emilie Lafontaine 1885 on the front when she would have been 46 years old. The reverse is inscribed in French, but translates into English as, "Portrait of Mme Emilie Compant-Lafontaine, nee Saran pinx".

Emilie was born in Geneva on 23 March 1839 and died there on 25 October 1892. Schidlof records that she painted on enamel and that a miniature portrait by her, of her husband, Leonard Francois Compant-Lafontaine is in the Geneva Library. It sounds as if that was painted in 1872 and is therefore a companion portrait to the one of her as depicted here. And that of her husband was perhaps one of those exhibited by her at shows in 1874, 1878, and 1883.

Separate references state that she married him in 1870, describing him as a "magnetiseur" which translates as magnetiser, mesmerist, or hypnotist. See;

Geneva (Switzerland). Musée d'art et d'histoire, Société auxiliare du Musée de Genéve, Bibliothèque publique et universitaire de Genève - 1936 -

Charles-L.-F. Compant-Lafontaine, auteur d'ouvrages sur le magnétisme, décédé en 1892. — Peint sur émail par M7"" Compant-Lafontaine née Saran en 1872, donné par elle en 1894. Env. 5,5 x 7,5 (ovale).

So far no reference to her husband as a hypnotist has been located. 1433

Muller, Johann-Jakob - portraits of a man and a lady

2011-07-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

This pair of miniature portraits were acquired in late 2010 for a very modest sum, but have been sitting neglected on my desk. At first glance they are not very attractive, (perhaps also at second glance!) but are still an interesting pair.

Regrettably my knowledge of French and German is virtually non-existent, which is the main reason they have not been listed previously. They each have an inscription on the reverse, which is much more recent, as the backing appears to be from an old envelope with a postmark for Basle 29 November, 1944.

While I am not fully confident, I think they are by a well-regarded Swiss artist Johann-Jakob Muller (1762-1817). There is an extensive article about him (in French), by Vincent Lieber, in "100 Ans de Miniatures Suisses - 1780-1880). The article includes nearly 20 examples by Muller and they seem to be very similar in style to this pair.

It seems that most, if not all of his miniatures are on paper, a sign that he drew portraits of middle class citizens, rather than the wealthy. Thus, although not having the brilliance of ivory, these miniatures do show why there was such a preference for ivory as the base. The colours of these have faded, but there is good detail.

I have not taken them out of their frames, as I do not want to damage the inscriptions, so the images are not very good. In addition, the glasses show the pitting associated with rotting of the actual glass, due to a manufacturing deficiency, which does tend to affect a number of miniatures from the early 19C.

The inscriptions say that they are two small oval portraits from the estate of Hermann Burckhardt 18??-1942, maybe? his grandparents. The father of Hermann Burckhardt was Emanuel Burckhardt (I. Le Roche, II. Wilhelm) 1820-1892. Judging by the dates and the apparent age (about 50 years?) of the sitters, it therefore seems possible that the sitters are the parents, or even grandparents, of Emanuel Burckhardt. 1403a, 1403b.

In the IGI reference to Le Roche is revealed as the name of Emanuel's first wife, Margaretha Charlotte LaRoche (1825-1857), who he married in 1847, with his occupation between 1847 and 1892 recorded as "Aristorf Pastor", perhaps meaning he was a personal chaplain to an aristocratic family? Margaretha's parents being Simon Emanuel LaRoche, a pastor, and Anna Catharina Bernoulli. His second wife was thus named ... Wilhelm, but her first name has not yet been located.

Possibly related was a noted German ethnographer, Hermann Burckhardt, with a good knowledge of Arabic and Turkish, who in 1907 traveled to Yemen and submitted a detailed political report on the situation to Dr Moritz, the German director of the khedival library in Cairo. One of his recommendations was construct a railway line to help maintain Ottoman authority in Yemen.

Although not yet linked, it is possible that the Hermann Burckhardt who died in 1942, was the father of the Hermann Burckhardt who was involved in the design and construction of German battleships and battlecruisers of the World War II era.

Artist "J T A" - portrait of Crown Prince Willhelm of Germany

2008-12-11T23:48:00.000-08:00

This miniature portrait is quite large for a miniature on ivory, being 98mm x 144mm.

Unfortunately, at present the artist is identified only as "J T A 1914" or perhaps "T A 1914". It is hoped a kind visitor may be able to identify the artist.

However, the sitter can be identified by his uniform and comparison with other similar images.

For example the photograph is circa 1912, and is of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Prussia (1882 - 1951) as a Lieutenant in the Prussian Guard Regiment. He was the son of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the leader of Germany during World War I and a great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

The similarity of uniform is apparent, although the miniature shows the Crown Prince as a higher rank and must have been painted around the outbreak of World War I. It is quite possible the miniature was painted to mark his naming as Commander of the 5th Army in August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I. Thus his rise from Lieutenant in just two years was rapid!

He led the 5th Army until November 1916, a two-year period which included the battle of attrition known as the Verdun Offensive. From April 1916 onward he tried in vain to convince the supreme command that the Verdun offensive no longer made any sense, but the campaign continued until September 2nd of that year.

During World War I he was belittled as the "Clown Prince" by the British soldiers; that nickname was adopted by the American forces in 1917.

A most unusual feature of the miniature can be seen in the close up of his hand, where the Crown Prince is holding a cigarette. In current day terms, this is a most odd combination of casual and formal in a portrait, but must have been acceptable in 1914.

One of the decorations he is wearing is the Order of the Black Eagle, the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia

Frederick William Victor Augustus Ernest (German: Friedrich Wilhelm Victor August Ernst) (6 May 1882 – 20 July 1951) of the House of Hohenzollern was the last Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire. He was colloquially known as William or Wilhelm.

After the outbreak of the German Revolution in 1918, both Emperor William II and the Crown Prince signed the document of abdication. The Crown Prince went into exile to the isle of Wieringen, in the Netherlands.

In 1923, he returned to Germany after giving assurances that he would no longer engage in politics. The former Crown Prince held some political ambitions, and was reportedly interested in the idea of running for Reichspräsident as the right-wing candidate opposed to Paul von Hindenburg in 1932, until his father forbade the idea.

The Crown Prince supported Hitler for some time, hoping and announcing in public that this man would do for Germany what Mussolini had done for Italy - making an end to all Bolshevist/Marxist influence. He had connections with some organizations, more than loosely connected with the National Socialist Party (Nazi Party) and allowed himself to be used by the Nazi government in various symbolic actions.[citation needed]. After the murder of his friend, the former Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher in the Night of the Long Knives (1934), he retreated from all political activities. Most of his efforts from 1919 until 1934 had been directed to make a return of the Hohenzollerns to the throne viable option again, and he had assumed that Hitler would give this idea his support.

William lived as a private citizen on his family's estates throughout World War II. Upon his father's death in 1941, William succeeded him as head of the House of Hohenzollern, the former German imperial dynasty. In 1951, the former Crown Prince died of a heart attack in Hechingen, in the ancestral lands of his family in Swabia, as the family's estates in Brandenburg had been occupied by the Soviet Union.

William married Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (20 September 1886 - 6 May 1954) in Berlin on 6 June 1905. Cecilie was the daughter of Grand Duke Frederick Francis III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1851-1897) and his wife, Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia (1860-1922). However during the early stages of this marriage the crown prince had a brief affair with the American opera singer Geraldine Farrar.

Their eldest son, Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, was killed fighting for the German Army in France in 1940.

The Crown Prince and his wife are buried at Hohenzollern Castle. 1356

Coincidentally, in 1910, the Crown Prince is recorded as having played tennis with the British brother of a new addition to this collection, see Unknown - portrait of Fanny Goschen

Unknown - portrait of a Italian family

2006-11-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

This miniature is unsigned. Initially it was thought to be French or perhaps Spanish in style and probably painted around 1820. However, it is now thought to be Italian.

The frame is not shown here, but is perhaps the most expensive wooden frame in the collection. It is extremely well made of veneered and inlaid rosewood. The veneering even covers the complete rear of the portrait. At each corner of the rear, there are "butterfly" dowels to hold it together.

As the portrait is of five family members it would have been expensive when it was painted. Miniature painters often doubled their standard price when there were two sitters in a portrait, and here we have five.

The girl on the left is holding a string tied to a butterfly, which can be seen silhouetted against the baby's collar.

More recently, I have become aware that there is a miniature shown here and painted by the Italian artist Giambattista Gigola in 1807, which is in the collection of the Museo Poldi Pezzoli of Milan, Italy.

The pose and style is completely different, so there is no real similarity, except that miniature also features four children, one of who is also holding a butterfly on a string. Later copies of the Gigola miniature show the butterfly replaced by a string of pearls, so it seems there may have been a reaction against the practice.

Nevertheless, these are the only instances I am aware of where a child has a butterfly on a string and hence that makes them unusual. Thus it seems probable the miniature shown here is Italian in origin, rather than French or Spanish. 1182

Unknown - portrait of King Albert of Saxony

2006-06-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

Although the artist is unknown, the portrait was initially thought to be of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria (1830-1916).

For more about him see Franz Joseph I of Austria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 1165

However, from the comments below, left by kind visitors, it is now suspected to be King Albert of Saxony (1828-1902) who reigned from 1873-1902 and is shown here in several different images.

Albert, was born April 23, 1828. Prince Albert's education, as usual with German princes, concentrated to a great extent on military matters, but he attended lectures at the University of Bonn.

King Albert was noted for his military ability. At the age of 21, he served as a captain in the army of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein in their war against the Danes.

In 1866, during the Seven Weeks' War between Austria and Prussia, Albert commanded a Saxon corps, which distinguished itself at the decisive Battle of Königgrätz by a firm stand against the Prussia

Although even then, it is conceded the man in the miniature does not seem to have enough medals, and it is probable many officers of the time adopted a similar appearance!

Karmanski, Ignaz - portrait of a lady

2006-06-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed in gold letters "Ig Karmanski 1831" for Ignaz von Karmanski an Austrian artist who was active in Vienna 1830-1832. He was trained at the Vienna Academy.

Schidlof was obvioulsy not impressed with his work as he comments "Rather mediocre artist"!

The sitter is unknown. 1164

Bouchardy - portrait of a man

2006-05-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Bouchardy", probably for the artist of that name who was active in Paris from 1770-1799. He was noted at the time for his use of the physionotrace, see Precursors of photography: Early Visual Media - Physionotrace ... He may have also been the father of the better known artist Etienne Bouchardy (1797-1849).
The sitter is unknown, but it is interesting that he was demonstrating his loyalty to the revolution by wearing a tricolor neck scarf.
Elsewhere in the collection there is a miniature portrait by Marie Noireterre of a man wearing a similar tricolor scarf which was painted around the same time. 1145

Bourgeois, Charles - portrait of young man

2006-05-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

Painted in 1801 is this miniature portrait signed "C Bourgeios an 9", for Charles Guillaume Alexandre Bourgeois (1759-1832).

The wording "an 9" refers to year 9 of the Revolutionary Calendar that was used in France from 1793 to 1804. Thus this miniature was painted in 1801.

There are several miniatures in this style by Bourgeois in the Louvre.

For more about him see Charles Guillaume Alexandre Bourgeois - Wikipedia, the free ...

Literature" Les Peintres en Miniature p119. 1154

Unknown - portrait of a lady

2006-04-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed and dated 1810, but so far the signature has not been deciphered. The sitter is unknown, but it seems to be either a copy of a 17C portrait, or perhaps a 19C nun. 952

Soiron, Jean Francois - portrait of Joseph Chinard

2006-04-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait on enamel is by Jean Francois Soiron (1756-1813) a Swiss artist who worked in Paris and was noted for his enamel portraits.

It is set into the top of a green lacquer snuff box with gold inlay (apologies for the scanner glare) and the miniature itself is only 43mm in diameter.

The counter enamel is inscribed "Chinard celebre sculpteur membre de l'Institut National de France, & de l'Athenee de Lyon. Peint en Paris par son ami Soiron de Geneva Van 1801 an 9". (Chinard, celebrated sculptor and member of the National Institute of France and the Athenum of Lyon. Painted in Paris by his good friend Soiron of Geneva in 1801, year 9).

Dating of the miniature is interesting as it is dated in both the normal calendar as 1801, and also in the French Revolutionary Calendar which commenced in 1792, thus "an 9" was 1801.

The Bourgeois miniature in this collection is also dated "an 9".

Enamel miniatures by Soiron are rare, but for another example of a miniature by him see Jean François Soiron - Museum Briner und Kern

Joseph Chinard (1756-1813) was a famous French sculptor. This miniature is believed to be the only contemporary portrait of Chinard and hence is an important historical item.

Although the image itself does not appear, this miniature of Joseph Chinard is described in the book; "Les Peintres en Miniature actifs en France 1650-1850". The reference is towards the end of the section illustrated here.

The Frick Museum describes Chinard as one of the greatest portraitists of 18C and early 19C France, see ARCHIVED PRESS RELEASE from THE FRICK COLLECTION

Acquired subsequently for this collection, was this medal of Joseph Chinard by Torcheux.

The obverse and reverse views of the medal are shown here with the obverse depicting Joseph Chinard.

The reverse depicts Chinard's famous sculpture of the Empress Josephine which is in La Malmaison.
The medal is 67mm in diameter and is signed "A H Torcheux", for Andre-Henri Torcheux (1912-?) who is shown in the photo.

Torcheux seems to have made a number of medals commemorating various prominent French citizens from the 19C and 20C.

At present the actual date and the reason for striking this medal is unknown.

A bust of the Empress Josephine was sculpted in Milan in 1805 when she accompanied Napoleon to that city for his coronation as the King of Italy.

A slightly different terracotta version, with shoulder ruffs on the dress, is currently housed in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio.

For more about Chinard, including details of his works in the Getty Museum see Joseph Chinard (Getty Museum)

Also shown here is another miniature portrait by Jean-Francois Soiron. This one of Napoleon was displayed in an exhibition at Somerset House entitled 'France in Russia : Empress Josephine's Malmaison Collection' which ran from 25 July to 4 November 2007.

The exhibition explored the history of Empress Josephine’s Malmaison collection, purchased by Alexander I in 1815 and now held by the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia. 884

More about Joseph Chinard

Born in Lyon on February 12, 1756, Chinard entered the studio of Barthélemy Blaise (1738-1819) around 1770. By 1880 he had received commissions for statues of The Four Evangelists for the Church of St. Paul in Lyon (destroyed) and other religious works followed. An early Narcissus in marble, is reproduced in Les Arts (November 1909), along with The Death of the Centaurs and several other works. Baron La Font de Juys, a patron of Pierre Julien (1731-1804), advised Chinard to study in Italy and provided the funds for him to do so. In return, Chinard finished copies of Antique originals: Bacchus, Ariadne, Homer, Germanicus, etc., while he was in Rome (1784-87). In addition, he entered a competition at the Accademia di S. Luca, submitting a first prize-winning terracotta Perseus and Andromeda (several versions are known: see Rocher-Jauneau, 1961 and Worley, 1989).

A profile portrait medallion of Louis XVI, signed and dated 1789, suggests that Chinard did not immediately take to the Jacobin ideas that were blowing in the wind. However the sculptor erected a colossal statue of Liberty a year later on the occasion of the Fête de la Fédération, then returned to Rome in 1791 where he developed new and highly radical Revolutionary themes, such as Jupiter Striking Down Aristocracy and Apollo Trampling Superstition at His Feet (both from 1791; Musée Carnavalet, Paris). The latter was considered to be an outrage against the Catholic Church since Chinard chose a veiled female figure of Religion (complete with a crucifixion) to represent Superstition. Chinard was arrested in the middle of the night and thrown in the Castel Sant’Angelo in September of 1792. Back in Paris, Chinard’s wife alerted Jacques-Louis David who appealed to the Convention, then the papal authorities were warned by the French Republic. Chinard was released but had to leave Rome immediately. Later he would receive an indemnity for the possessions he had to abandon. Yet apparently, his terracottas were not proof enough of his republican zeal, for his subsequent works in Lyon were overly scrutinized. For example, the figure of Liberty, carved for the pediment of Lyon’s City Hall, was criticized for holding a civic crown too far back into space, and his statue of Fame was misinterpreted as summoning the emigrants to return from Switzerland. Again Chinard was placed under arrest (1793). While in prison, he modeled Innocence Taking Refuge in the Bosom of Justice (unlocated), sort of an artist’s statement of self defense, then he was acquitted. No wonder Chinard decided to specialize in portraiture.

In 1795 Chinard was elected to the Institut, though he continued to reside in Lyon. He continued to produce portraits, light mythological themes and Revolutionary allegories. Only a few of his many portraits (including numerous medallions) can be listed here; the reader is urged to consult Lami’s catalogue and Rocher-Jauneau’s many articles. The latter, still regarded as the Chinard authority, states that Chinard’s portraits are marked by “a sensitive and very personal realism.” There are several portrait busts of Napoleon, Josephine (Château de Malmaison), Prince Eugène de Beauharnais, General Desaix (Salon of 1808), Empress Marie-Louise, and fellow artists (Girodet, Boilly, Isabey). The Rhode Island School of Design has Chinard’s marble bust of Madame Récamier (1802). The sculptor was named professor at the Ecole spéciale de Dessin in Lyon in 1807. On 20 June 1813 Chinard passed away. He would be remembered as one of the greatest portraitists during the French Empire and Lyon’s premier Neoclassical sculptor.

Sources:
De la Chapelle, Salomon. “Joseph Chinard, sculpteur, sa vie et ses oeuvres.” Revue du Lyonnais 2 (1896): 77-98, 272-291, 337-357 (1897): 141-157; Tourneux, Maurice. “La collection de M. Le comte de Penha Longa.” Les Arts (November 1909); Saunier, Charles. “Joseph Chinard et le style Empire à l’exposition du Musée des Arts Décoratifs.” Gazette des Beaux-Arts (January 1910); Schwark, Willi G. Die Porträtwerke Chinards. Freiburg-im-Breisgau, 1929; Dorner, Alexander. “Portrait Bust of Mme. Récamier.” Rhode Island School of Design Bulletin 26 (1938): 13-19; Zimmermann, H. “Joseph Chinards Terrakottabüste von Mme Récamier.” Berliner Museen 7 (1957): 42-47; Rocher-Jauneau, Madeleine. “Persée et Andromède de Chinard.” Bulletin des Musées et Monuments Lyonnais (1961): 350-352; Boyer, Ferdinand. “Projet d’un monument de la Victoire par Chinard pour Marseille en 1812.” Bulletin de la Société de l’Histoire de l’Art Français (1962): 263-264; Rocher-Jauneau, Madeleine. “Chinard and the Empire Style.” Apollo 80 (1964): 220-226; Perez, Marie-Félicie. “L’exposition du ‘Sallon des arts’ de Lyon en 1786.” Gazette des Beaux-Arts 86 (December 1975): 199-206; Rocher-Jauneau, Madeleine. L’oeuvre de Joseph Chinard au Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon. Lyon: 1978; Skulptur aus dem Louvre. Exh. cat. Duisburg, 1989, cat. nos. 68, 84, 87; Worley, Michael Preston. “Persée et Andromède de Chinard: Une fausse attribution?” Revue du Louvre et des Musées de France (October 1989): 249-252; Rocher-Jauneau, Madeleine. “Chinard, Joseph.” From David to Ingres: Early 19th Century French Artists. The Dictionary of Art series. London and New York: Grove Art, 2000, pp. 54-55.

Bossi, Domenico - portrait of Carl-Ludwig

2006-04-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

Although unsigned, a kind visitor to the website has advised this miniature portrait can be attributed to Domenico Bossi (1765-1853), an Italian artist who worked in many European cities. For more about Domenico Bossi, see the portrait in this collection by him of Baroness Neuwall.

The sitter is Carl-Ludwig (1755-1801), Hereditary Prince of Baden. There is another version of this miniature by Bossi in the National Museum of Warsaw, Poland. 492

Unknown - portrait of a 19C lady

2006-04-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is set into the top of a snuffbox. It is in the style of Domenico Bossi, but at present it is thought unlikely to be by him. The sitter is unknown.

Bossi, Domenico - portrait of Baroness Leopold Neuwall

2006-04-07T22:25:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "D Bossi p 1816", for Domenico Bossi (1760-1853). Although he was born in Italy, he worked in many of the major European capitals and there are 36 works by him in the Stockholm National Museum.

Schidlof comments "Bossi can be considered as one of the best miniaturists of his period; in particular his works of the 18C are remarkable for expression and relief. In his first period he painted the shadows in surfaces using contrasts of sometimes hard (and) light parts. The hair is painted in gouache rapidly, with great steadiness. Later he stumps (sic) the change from light to shadow carefully, which makes his portraits more pleasant, sometimes mawkish, and takes away from them much of their vitality. The clothes are always very well painted in his second period with many details. The background, almost always brown or blue-grey, is sometimes executed in gouache, but more often with very regular crossed stokes."

This particular miniature is mentioned in Schidlof, where it is stated it was exhibited at Reichenberg in 1903 and Berlin in 1906, as item 548.

Although unidentified when purchased for this collection, the sitter was able to be identified with very kind assistance from a portrait miniature expert, who found a photo of the miniature which appeared in a Schidlof, Vienna auction catalogue of 5-9 April 1921.

At that time it was being sold from the Simon Ritter v. Metaxa collection and the sitter was described as Baroness Leopold Neuwall, but the sitter had then "lost" her identity in subsequent years.

It is thus an important miniature that had "disappeared" from view for eighty years, until it was acquired for this collection.

Baroness Neuwall was the wife of a very wealthy Austrian banker, Marcus Leidesdorf, who was raised to the nobility in 1817, after being a key supplier during the War of Liberations in 1813-14. He was Jewish, but previous to 1817, Jews were prevented from owning land, thus earlier requests to be raised to the nobility were declined.

While Marcus remained Jewish his entire life, the glamour of nobility caused Marcus’ children to convert to Christianity during his lifetime. This must have been very difficult for him to deal with, see Nobility

Literature: Les Peintres en Miniature p111. 290

Unknown - mourning scene

2006-04-07T22:20:00.000-07:00

This unsigned miniature portrait shows a mourning scene and is set into the top of a horn snuff box. The tombstone has the letters N H and an inscription around the edge which reads 'HONOR ET AMICITIA". 1108

Fraenckel, Liepmann - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned, but has been attributed to a Danish artist, Liepmann Fraenckel (1772-1857). The sitter is unknown.

Schidlof comments "The miniatures of Liepmann Fraenckel have a vague resemblance to those of Bernard de Guerad, but are often harder and have less quality. The expression is often set, the folds of the clothes lack naturalness."

The miniature was attributed by comparing the close likeness of two very similar portraits of other ladies by Fraenckel, in Volume II of Swedish and Other Nordic Miniatures by Olausson, and which are illustrated there on pages 298 and 300.

However, the distinctive "spotty" manner of painting the background does also have a close similarity to some of the work of the Swedish artist Johan Erik Bolinder (1759-1830), see the lower portrait in Vol I of Olausson, page 133 and the bottom portrait on page 136. 408

Unknown - mourning scene

2006-04-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

This minature portrait of a mourning scene is by an unknown German artist. The lady is leaning on a tombstone and an anchor. This suggests her lover has been lost at sea.

There is an inscription in German on the tombstone that is indistinct, but appears to read "Wie iel.lsh/werf ...../ivis .or./wv kring/Thrane m/fliessen.ob/16 dec 1815".

It has been suggested that the latter part may actually read "Wo keine Traenen fliessen", which translates as "where no tears are shed". 1011

Unknown - portrait of a child

2006-04-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait by an unknown French artist is set into the top of a blue horn snuffbox. The sitter is not known. 1117

Delatour, Alexandre - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Delatour 1812", for Alexandre Delatour (1780-1858) (aka Alexandre De Latour), who was born in Brussels and worked in Paris, Amsterdam, and Antwerp.

He became painter in miniature to King William I as well as the Prince of Orange.

There are several miniatures by him in the Orange-Nassau collection.

Schidlof comments "The technique of Delatour is strongly influenced by Augustin. Like his master, he painted very finely, mixing gum with his colours, which gives them a soft surface like enamel. He is very far from matching Augustin and rather inconsistent in his works, however certain of his miniatures have much merit".

The sitter is unknown.

Literature: Les Peintres en Miniature p188. 1013

Unknown - portrait of Marshal Ney

2006-04-07T17:42:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned. It appears to be a late 19C copy of an earlier portrait of Marshal Ney who was famous as Napoleon's cavalry commander. Two similar portraits of Ney from the same original portrait are shown below.

Ney was tried for treason after Waterloo and sentenced to death. Some people are of the opinion that he escaped the firing squad and fled to the United States, where he lived for many years.

I have several books that refer to this, and was intending to write it up for this miniature, but never seem to have enough time. As I recollect, when I did some research several years ago, I did find references in Scotland which disproved the claim by some that a Peter McCnee of Scotland, was the man sometimes referred as being the person who went to America and later became Peter Stuart Ney, the name used by the man believed to be Marshal Michel Ney.

This is what I wrote to someone in 2003 about part of my investigation;
I did a search on the LDS family history site for Peter McCnee. It comes up as shown in the Taylor booklet with a baptism date of 3 February 1788 and a father of John McCnee recorded at Fintry. However, I also did a search for Peter McNee and a date of 1788. That comes up with a Peter McNee at Rednock Castel, Perthshire, Scotland and a baptism date of 2 Feb 1788, a father called James McNee and a Death date of 1 Apr 1877. Also that he married Agnes Drummond on 30 Jul 1822. www.ancestry.com records Peter McNee as the same date but his home as Port of Monteith. From other family history work I have done I know that a birth can be recorded at more than one location and there can be transcription mistakes and errors in recording names e.g. James for John

I have looked at www.multimap.com and worked out that Fintry and Port of Monteith are only about ten miles apart. Thus the similarity of date, only one day different, seems to be very close, almost too close to be a pure coincidence. I would therefore be inclined to say both records relate to the same person. [especially as the local population was not large] Thus if the records can be linked even more closely, it would should that it could not be the birth of Peter Stuart Ney.

Thus, if anything, adding evidence to support those who expressed the view that the Peter Ney in America was Michel Ney. Although not showing here, I even went to the expense of buying a genuine army order from the Napoleonic War which is signed by Ney and still hangs on my wall, so I could compare the signature on the document.

For those interested to read more, the books were fascinating and those I have include;
Report of the Trial for High Treason and Attempts Against the Safety of the State of Michel Ney, Paris, 1815 - a rare book
Memoirs of Marshal Ney by his family, Vol I & Vol II, London, 1834
Historic Doubts as the Execution of Marshal Ney by James A Weston, 1895
Marshal Ney Before and After Execution by J Edward Smoot, 1929
Marshal Ney: A Dual Life by Legette Blythe, 1937
Napoleon's Traitor by Toby Giese, 1989
Also a copy of Scholarship and Legend by George V Taylor, 1960 which is an article in The South Atlantic Quarterly about the scholarship of William Henry Hoyt (1884-1957) who did a lot of research about Ney. It is referred to above as the Taylor booklet.

Unknown - portrait of a naval officer

2006-04-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned. It had been tentatively attributed to Carl Johan Frederick Viertel (1772-1834), a Danish artist, but a kind visitor to the website feels it is not by him, but is more likely to instead be by a Swedish artist.

A search of the Stockholm catalogue by Olausson has not revealed any obvious Swedish artists, although Anders Gustaf Andersson (1780-1833) and Lorentz Sparrgren (1763-1828) are possibilities. There are few rectangular shaped miniatures in the catalogue from the period around 1814. None of those appear to have the vertical shading in the rear, and very few have a similar pose.

There is an inscription on the reverse which appears to be in Swedish and read as follows, "officer vid marinen namnet okand ohterfange teas englesmannen 1814". This partially translates as a naval officer of unknown name.

The sitter is unknown. 963

Unknown - portrait of a French general

2006-04-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is by an unknown artist. The sitter is a French general, but so far he has not been identified. 920

Stobwasser - portrait of Ferdinand VII

2006-04-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is on the cover of a paper machie snuff box which is signed "Stobwasser". There were several members of the Stobwasser family who painted portrait on snuff boxes and this one may be by Christian Heinrich Stobwasser (1780-1834). The sitter is Ferdinand VII (1784-1833) King of Spain.

For more about him see Ferdinand VII, king of Spain 90.

Unknown - portrait of Alexander I

2006-04-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is by an unknown artist, but it is a copy of a well known portrait of Alexander I (1777-1825) of Russia.

The condition of the miniature is not the best, needing some expert restoration, but when painted it was by a very good artist.

It is quite large at 121mm x 95mm, and logically was painted in the 19C, well before the Russian Revolution.

For more about him see Alexander I and Alexander I of Russia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This collection also contains miniature portraits of his son, Nicholas I by an unknown hand, and of his grandson, Alexander II by Ivan Winberg. 1120

Unknown - portrait of Nicholas I

2006-04-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is by an unknown artist, but it is a very competent copy of a well known portrait. The sitter is Nicholas I (1796-1855) of Russia.
For more about him see Nicholas

Although rectangular, it is behind an oval mat which conceals part of his uniform. The miniature is on paper, so it lacks the greater brightness of an ivory base. It is 95mm x 72mm.

This collection includes miniatures of his father, Alexander I, and of his own son, Alexander II. The latter being by Ivan Winberg. 1058

Beaux, Raymond - portrait of Duc d'Orleans

2006-04-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "R de B" for the artist Raymond de Baux who was active in Berlin from 1816-1860.

The sitter is Duc d'Orleans (1810-1842). It can be seen that he has more hair in this portrait, compared to the adjacent one of him, which is a similar pose.

On his birth, he was heir to the French throne, but Ferdinand Philippe d'Orleans (1810-1842) died in a carriage accident.

For more about him see Ferdinand Philippe d'Orléans, Duc d'Orléans

Literature: Les Peintres en Miniature p81 (without image). 686

Talen, Michel - portrait of Duc D'Orleans

2006-04-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "van der Talen" for the French artist Michel van der Talen, who was active in Paris around 1880-1887. It is a portrait of Duc d'Orleans. 851

Unknown - portrait of French officer

2006-04-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

The painter of this miniature portrait is unknown, as is the sitter.

However a kind visitor has recognised one of his decorations as the Order of Westphalia.

Some French decorations can be seen atCambaceres (Decorations) 1138

Duchesne du Gisors - portrait of Napoleon

2006-04-07T00:04:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned, but has been attributed to Jean Baptiste Duchesne (1770-1856).

For more about him see Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Duchesne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A helpful Napoleonic collector has advised that, although there are many portraits of Napoleon wearing this Colonel of the Guards uniform, the only other portrait he has ever seen with the same facial pose is a large oil portrait of Napoleon in the Historiches Museum in Speyer, Germany. That oil is shown here and is understood to be recorded as being painted by Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Duchesne de Gisors (1770-1856).

In the oil portrait Napoleon is wearing the uniform of chasseur a cheval, whereas here he is wearing the uniform of a colonel of the guards. According to an exhibition catalogue for the Historiches Museum, there is apparently also a sketch for the Duchesne oil in Malmasion which bears the inscription "Sketch made from life by Duchesne du Gisors six weeks before Waterloo, made for a portrait ordered by the Emperor".

Napoleon escaped from Elba on 26 February 1815. Ney joined him on 14 March 1815 and Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo on 18 June 1815. The sketch being made six weeks before Waterloo, implies the sketch for the oil was made around 1 May 1815. This date was six weeks after Ney had rejoined Napoleon on 14 March.

The miniature is engraved at the foot of the frame "Given by the Emperor Napoleon to Marshal Ney who gave it to Lady Elizabeth Monck". It therefore seems quite possible that Duchesne also painted this miniature, especially given the short time from when the sketch was made, until Marshal Ney was arrested and tried for treason after Waterloo.

There are other miniatures of Napoleon wearing the same white and green uniform, but by various other artists, which raises the possibility they were sketched at the same time, but by artists sitting in different positions in the one room while Napoleon posed. With the dark uniform then being substituted for the final version of the Duchesne oil portrait.

This miniature was acquired together with a Monck family portrait, which is shown in the collection under British miniatures. Lengthy research has identified Lady Elizabeth Monck (1765-1829) as a daughter of the 2nd Earl of Arran. One of her daughters married Vice Admiral Sir Charles Paget, the brother of Lord Uxbridge, cavalry commander for the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo.

As both Ney and Uxbridge were respected cavalry commanders, it is entirely likely Lady Elizabeth met Marshal Ney around the time of his imprisonment after Waterloo, as it is recorded that ladies from the British Embassy did meet with him at that time.

In fact, some researchers believe that Ney was assisted by the British to escape execution after his trial and also assisted to flee to America where he lived incognito for many years as a schoolteacher named Peter Ney. There are several interesting books about this including "Historic Doubts as to the Execution of Marshal Ney" by James A Weston which was published in 1895 after 12 years of research and also "Marshal Ney - A Dual Life" by Legette Blythe, published in 1937. 830

Sicard, Louis - An Unknown Girl in Scottish Costume

2006-04-06T21:52:00.000-07:00

Although this miniature portrait is unsigned and the sitter is not known, it is believed to be by Louis Lucas Marie Sicard (1746-1825). Sicard was a highly regarded miniaturist and painter to the Court of Louis XVI.

There is another version in the Wallace Collection catalogue, shown below, which is entitled "An Unknown Girl in a Scottish Costume" - fig 125 in the Wallace Collection Catalogue and that version is signed "Sicardi 1799".

Although there is no Internet link to the image, for more about the Wallace Collection see Wallace Collection: Great British Watercolours in the Wallace ...

In the Wallace Collection Catalogue on page 156 there is also a note mentioning that Lespinasse (La Miniature en France au XVIIIe siecle - 1929) records another version of this portrait as being in the Jacquemart-Andre Museum in Paris.

This collector has recently communicated with the Jacquemart-Andre Museum in Paris, but they can find no record of their collection ever having included a version of this portrait. Thus it seems there was an error in Lespinasse.

However, as the Wallace Collection catalogue records that Lespinasse did include an illustration of the version in his book, as plate xxv, fig. 85, a second version must have existed.

It is therefore quite possible that the version included in this collection and depicted above, is the second version referred to by Lespinasse, as the quality of the miniature compares very favourably with the Wallace image shown here. 1107

Cataneo, M - portrait of Charles Nollet

2006-04-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "M Michl Cataneo 1816". Michele Cataneo was a Italian artist who worked in France.

The sitter, Charles Nollet, lived in Ghent and according to an inscription on the reverse of the miniature is said to be the inventor of the electric clock.

Literature: Les Peintres en Miniature p144. 933

Gobert, Antoine Nicolas Martial - portrait of girl in yellow dress

2006-04-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Gobert 1817". This is for Martial Gobert. His birth date was not known, although Schidlof suggested around 1800. However, as this miniature is dated 1817 and is believed to be the earliest signed and dated miniature by him, his date of birth seems likely to be pre 1800.

In fact from some research, he appears to be the Antoine Nicolas Martial Gobert, born around 1793, who married Mary Greenwood in Paris on 9 Dec 1818.

Their son, Alfred Thompson Gobert who was also a miniature painter was born 22 Sep 1822 and was christened on 14 Feb 1823 at the British Embassy chapel in Paris according to one record, and then on 20 Mar 1825 according to another. The second may have been a church christening, as required by the church.

Schidlof comments " Gobert was an artist of quality. His portraits are expressive, but sometimes lack relief, I (i.e. Schidlof) have seen at some time a miniature by him in which the clothes were of an exceptional execution and force."

The unknown sitter is likely to be French.

Literature: Les Peintres en Miniature p261. 1127

Unknown - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

Neither the artist, nor the sitter in this miniature portrait are known. It is probably French or British. 1043

Unknown - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

Neither the artist, nor the sitter in this portrait are known. It is probably French, but there is a possibility it is American or British. 889

Dufaix - portrait of Comte Bouthier de Pennovere

2006-04-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait appears to be signed "Dufay 1825", which perhaps should be read as Dufaix.

However, it is possibly by the Swiss artist Dufey who was active 1806-1816.

The sitter is identified indistinctly on the reverse as Comte Bouthier de Pennovere.

Literature" Les Peintres en Miniature p209. 1023

Unknown - portrait of a child with a rose

2006-04-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

Neither the artist, not the sitter are known in this miniature portrait, but they are probably French. 659a

Unknown - portrait of boy with horse

2006-04-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned, but is most likely French. The sitter is wearing a dress, but although he is unknown, he can be identified as a boy as he is holding a toy horse. 850

Weber, J - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "F Weber 1828". There was a German artist called F Weber who was active in 1824 and so this is probably the same one. The sitter is not known. 720

Unknown - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

Neither the artist, nor the sitter in this miniature portrait are known, but they are probably both German. 1122

Brunschweiler, Hans Joachim - portrait of a man

2006-04-06T21:09:00.000-07:00

Although this miniature is unsigned, a kind visitor to the website has advised the artist is Hans Joachim Brunschweiler (1770-1853). He was born in Erlen, Switzerland and died there in 1853. He appears to have married Anna (born 29 Jul 1781-?) on 25 Sep 1802, at the Evangelisch, Sulgen, Thurgau, Switzerland.

Hans Joachim Brunschweiler was a self-taught miniaturist. In 1816 he painted a portrait of the Princess of Fuerstenberg, later those of the Prince of Hohenlohe, the King of Wuerttemberg and the Grand Duchess of Baden. He worked about 1820 in St. Gall, about 1830 In Frauenfeld, later returning to his native town Erlen. He almost never signed his miniatures.

Schidlof observes "Brunschweiler painted with a lot of gum which made his colours quite fresh, the execution is finical, the lines often hard. Frequently his miniatures have the effect of pigments on porcelain and the persons represented have flushed cheeks. It seems amazing that this rather average artist obtained so much success and painted many important people."

The sitter is unknown, but the miniature probably dates from around 1825. 1159

Adamek, Johann - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T21:03:00.000-07:00

Dating from around 1815, is this miniature portrait is signed "Adamek" for Johann Adamek (1776-1840), an Austrian artist.

The sitter is unknown but the reverse includes a very detailed carved, gold mourning scene. 212

Enriquez - portrait of a Spanish soldier

2006-04-06T18:08:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Enriquez ft en 1822". This is for Francisco Enriquez y Garcia, a Spanish artist who was active from 1820 - 1839. The sitter is unidentified. 653

Unknown - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T18:04:00.000-07:00

Neither the painter of this miniature portrait, nor the sitter have been identified. The style suggests it could be French or Italian. 1087

Muller - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed Muller, but as there are a number of artists with this name, it has not been possible to be more specific. The unknown sitter is wearing a decoration hanging from a ribbon and appears to be European. The lace of his collar is exceptionally well painted. 905a

Schorn, J - portrait of a 19C lady

2006-04-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "J Schorn" for the German artist, J Schorn (1803 - 1850). He worked in various European cities. The sitter is unknown. 643

Unknown - portrait of a lady

2006-04-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

This unsigned miniature portrait may be French, but so far the costume, which looks to be traditional dress is unidentified. The sitter is unknown. 403

Unknown - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

This miniature appears to be signed with a monogram at the left which may read "SF", but the artist is so far unidentified. It may be French or Italian. The sitter is unknown. 777

Lami, G - portrait of four heads

2006-04-06T16:28:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned, but has been atributed to the French artist G E Lami, who is recorded as active from 1808 - 1818. The sitters are unknown, but as their heads are shown in clouds, it is probable that it is a mourning portrait. 944

Remondini, Filippo - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Remondini". It is believed to be by Filippo Giacomo Remondini (active 1788-1815). He was an Italian artist who moved to work in Sweden. The sitter is unknown, but there are gold filigree intitials "J P" on the reverse. 798

Zatsepin, Mikhail - portrait of Dr Gibbs

2006-04-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Although this miniature portrait is unsigned, it is possibly by Mikhail Zatsepin, a Russian artist who was active around 1813. The sitter is identifed as "Harry Leeke Gibbs MD FRCS of St Petersburg". A note within the miniature states Dr Gibbs was private physician to the Tsar of Russia. He is shown here wearing a Russian decoration.

The marriage of Harry Leeke Gibbs (1782-1858) to Mary Ann Angliss is recorded at the British Chaplaincy, St Petersburg, Russia on 28 March 1808. In 1851 he was retired and living with his wife, his daughter Sophia M A Gibbs, who had been born in Russia in 1817, and several servants in Exeter St David, Devon, England. It therefore appears he was in Russia at least between 1808 and 1817.

The Tsar in question is not known for certain. From the date of the costume Gibbs is wearing and his sideburns which both date to around 1813, it could be either Alexander I (1777-1825) or Nicholas I (1796-1855). The former would seem to be more likely. 670

Rocksthul, Alois - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "A Rocksthul 1821" for Alois Gustav Rocksthul (1798-1877) a Russian artist. The sitter is unknown. 1038

Unknown - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned, but both the sitter and the artist are probably French. The unknown sitter is wearing a medal ribbon, probably the Legion of Honour. 585

Unknown - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned, but is believed to be by a Scandanavian artist, probably from Sweden. The sitter is not known. 536

Decourcelle, Jean - portrait of baby

2006-04-06T15:48:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is believed to be a post mortem portrait. It is signed "DeCourcelle 1822" and is by Jean Decourcelle (1791-1857), a French artist.

The rear of the miniature shows the trade label for Decourcelle, with his address as Boulevard St Martin, Passage de Maltbe No. 57.

The identity of the baby is unknown, but from the general appearance of the baby, it seems likely to be a post mortem portrait. Other post mortem miniatures do exist, but they are quire rare.

Literature: Les Peintres en Miniature p182. 964

Remde, Friedrich - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Fr Remde pinxit 1826" for Friedrich Remde (1801-1878) a German artist who was born and died in Wiemar, but also worked in Hamburg, London, and Vienna.

He is referred to in The Dictionary of Victorian Painters. Second edition. By Christopher Wood. Woodbridge, England: Antique Collectors' Club, 1978.

The sitter is unknown. 180

Robelot, Jean Pierre - portrait of a lady

2006-04-06T15:35:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Robelot 1836 pinxit" for Jean Pierre Robelot (1802 - >1850) a French artist who worked in Paris. The sitter is unknown. 684

Unknown - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned and the sitter is unknown. However, it is likely they are both French.

Unknown - portrait of 19C Italian lady

2006-04-06T15:26:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed, but the signature is too difficult to read. It is though to be by a North Italian artist. The sitter is unknown. 385

Meijer, Gillis - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "G d M p. 1847". It is probably by Gillis de Meijer (1790-1867) a Dutch artist who worked in Holland and Paris. The sitter is unknown. 271

Unknown - portrait of 19c lady

2006-04-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned, but is probably by a German artist. The sitter is unknown. 424

Saar, Karl von - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

This miniature portriat is signed "v Saar 1830", for the Austrian artist, Karl von Saar (1797-1853) who worked in Vienna. The sitter is unknown. 734

Hochelber, Franz Joseph - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "F Hochelber pinxit 1822", but the artist is unrecorded in Blattel.

A reference has been found to Franz Joseph Hochelber, see Hochelber, Franz Augustin /1792 - 1853/WWW.MLP.CZ -

The reference appears to be in Czechoslovakian and hence I cannot read it, so I do not know how relevant it is.

However, a kind art gallery owner has confirmed that the miniature must be by Franz Augustin Hochelber (1792 - 1853) of North Bohemia. He was active as a portrait painter, miniature painter, and did some fresco paintings in a church in Decin (Czechoslovakia - today Czech Republic). He may be recorded in dictionaries of German painters of the 19C.

There was an exhibition in Museum Decin in 2001 with a catalogue and biography, but it is unfortunately only available in Czechoslovakian.

The sitter is unknown. 1121

Legenvre - portrait of 19C lady

2006-04-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is cracked, but it is signed "Legenvre 183?).

Legenvre was a Paris artist who was active from 1817 to 1835.

The sitter is unknown.

Literature: Les Peintres en Miniature p342. 937

Helmle, Sebastian - portrait of lady 1838

2006-04-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is only signed with a monogram "H", but it is the companion to the adjacent portrait and can be attributed to Sebastian Helmle (1799-1841). The sitter is unknown. 209

Helmle, Sebastian - portrait of man 1838

2006-04-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Helmle 1838" for the German artist, Sebastian Helmle (1799-1841). The sitter is unknown. 208

Pouell - portrait of 19C man

2006-04-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed 'Pouell 1837", for a French artist who little is known about.

As there are clouds at the bottom, the unknown sitter was probably deceased when it was painted.

Literature: Les Peintres en Miniature p427. 637

Deroche, Mathieu - portrait of 18C lady

2006-04-06T02:29:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait on enamel was made by Mathieu Deroche of Paris using an early photographic process. It is signed on the reverse and numbered # 65218 It is unusual as he mainly made portraits of living people, as in the adjacent examples. The sitter has not yet been identified. 501

Deroche, Mathieu - portrait of a lady

2006-04-06T02:26:00.000-07:00

This miniature is one of a family group of four made by Mathieu Deroche of Paris, using an early photographic basis on enamel. The four portraits are included here as adjacent images. Deroche won a Gold Medal for the process.

A detailed commentary about the process he used and showing further examples, can be found at Beschrijving van diverse technieken - VNE - Vereniging van ... The sitter is unknown. 475

Deroche, Mathieu - portrait of a man

2006-04-06T02:23:00.000-07:00

This is one of a family group of four miniature portraits made by Mathieu Deroche of Paris using an early photographic process and then coloured. The sitter is unknown. 474

Deroche, Mathieu - portrait of a man

2006-04-06T02:19:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is one of a family group of four made by Mathieu Deroche of Paris using an early coloured photographic process on enamel. The sitter is unknown. 473

Deroche, Mathieu - portrait of a lady

2006-04-06T02:16:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is one of a family group of four by Mathieu Deroche and was made by an early coloured photographic process on enamel. The sitter is unknown. 472

Deroche, Mathieu - portrait of child

2006-04-06T02:11:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait was made by way of an early photographic process on enamel and then coloured. It is signed on the reverse by Mathieu Deroche of Paris # 50511. The sitter is unknown. 310

Leclercq, Marie - portrait of a man

2006-04-06T00:45:00.000-07:00

Unusually, this miniature portrait is painted on a wood panel. It is signed "Marie Le Clercq 1849".

She was recorded by Schidlof as Le Clerq.

The sitter is unknown, but is a pair with the adjacent miniature.

Literature" Les Peintres en Miniature p337. 712

Leclercq, Marie - portrait of a lady

2006-04-06T00:40:00.000-07:00

Unusually, this miniature portriat is painted on a wood panel. It is signed "Marie Le Clercq 1849". She was recorded by Schidlof as Le Clerq.

The sitter is unknown, but is a pair with the adjacent miniature.

Literature" Les Peintres en Miniature p337. 711

Theer, Albert - portrait of a lady

2006-04-06T00:34:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Albert Theer, Wien" for the Austrian artist Albert Theer (1815-1902) who worked in Vienna. The sitter is unknown. 783

Winberg, Ivan - portrait of Russian lady

2006-04-06T00:27:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Winberg", for Ivan Winberg (?-1851) and (active 1830-1846). It is thought that he was born in Sweden, but he became a court painter in Russia and his miniature portraits are included in the Hermitage and other Russian collections, as well as two examples in the British Royal collection.

Schidlof describes his work; "Winberg was a good miniaturist, whose works are finely executed with a pink colouring which sometimes gives them an appearance of miniatures on porcelain. ... The clothes are executed with particular care. In all one can consider Winberg as a very skilful artist of average talent.

The sitter is an unknown young lady of the Russian Court, and it is interesting to note that she is wearing a miniature portrait on her wrist. Judging by the collar of his uniform, the sitter in that miniature appears to be a senior army officer.

It is not known whether there is any significance in the distinctive brooch on her bodice, but it seems likely that she is from an aristocratic Russian family and so it may be possible to work out her identity.

Her hairstyle dates from 1840-1845 and hence the miniature is a later work by Winberg.

He painted many miniature portraits of Russian royalty and there is a miniature by him of Nicholas I in this collection.953

Millet, F E - portrait of self

2006-04-06T00:20:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait although very well painted, is probably a fake. It is thought to be a copy of a well known self portrait of the artist Frederic Millet. It is inscribed at the lower right "F E Millet, Th Paraocel". There was a French artist called Therese Parrocel (1745-1835), but the dates are wrong for her. Thus it is either by an unrecorded artist of that name or her name has been used by a faker. 291

Reymond, Eugenie - portrait of a lady

2006-04-06T00:16:00.000-07:00

This miniatue portrait is signed "E Reymond" for Eugenie Reymond (1853-1902) a Swiss artist who worked in Geneva. The sitter is unknown. 524

Unknown - portrait of girl with rose

2006-04-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unusually symbolic for a miniature. It is unsigned, but most probably French, although it could possibly be American. The unknown girl is standing in a cemetry with a gravestone behind her and is holding a dying rose. When looked at closely, a petal can be seen below her elbow on the left and which has obviously just fallen from the rose in her hand. A church spire is on the extreme left. Together with her black dress, it all comes together as a powerful mourning portrait. 995

Lenique, Clemence - portrait of a lady

2006-04-05T23:50:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Lenique" for Clemence Lenique de Franceville (1875 - after 1945). She was born in Paris, France but moved to the United States and worked in New York. She is represented in the Louvre Collection. The sitter is unknown. 906

Unknown - portrait of a lady in dag style

2006-04-05T23:45:00.000-07:00

This German miniature portrait is painted on porcelain, but is unsigned. It is unusual in that it has an integral painted gold border in the style of a daguerreotype matt. It is possible it was copied from a faded daguerreotype. The clouds signify that the sitter had died, but her identity is unknown. 1088b

Unknown - portrait of a man in dag style

2006-04-05T23:39:00.000-07:00

This German miniature portrait is painted on porcelain and is unsigned. However, it is quite unusual in that it also has a integral painted gold border in the style of a daguerreotype. The clouds indicate that the sitter had died. It is possible that it is a painted copy of a daguerreotype. The sitter is unknown. 1088a

Unknown - portrait of a young lady

2006-04-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is painted on porcelain. There may be an indistinct siganture to the right which is possibly that of A L Eckardt, an unrecorded Dresden artist, but other items by this artist do appear in this collection. The sitter is unknown. 238

Krantz, M - portrait of a young lady

2006-04-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

This portrait is signed "M Krantz Dresden". The sitter is unknown.

Krantz also painted on porcelain. A reduced example of a painting on porcelain by him (the original is 8" x 10") is shown here. It is also signed "M Krantz Dresden" and has a KPM sceptre impressed mark on the reverse. 1027b

Krantz, M - portrait of a lady

2006-04-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "M Krantz Dresden", but the artist is unrecorded. The sitter is unknown. 1027a

van Migom - portraits of Spanish officer and lady

2006-04-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

These two miniature portraits are both signed "Jeanne van Migom" and one is dated "12.1913". She is not recorded as an artist, but as the reverse of one has a frame maker's label from Valencia, it is possible she was working in Spain. The sitters are unknown, but the uniform could well be Spanish. 409a, 409b

Zasche, Theodor - portrait of a lady

2006-04-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

Initially, I had read this miniature portrait as signed "Th Fasche" and thought it was probably the German artist recorded by Blattel as Th Fascher and active around 1894.

However, a kind visitor to the blog has suggested it is more likely to be signed "Th Zasche" and on checking the signature, I can see he is correct.

The visitor has also kindly provided the following information on Theodor Zasche, as well as a photograph of him taken in 1910.

Theodor Zasche (18 Oct 1862-15 Nov 1922) was born and died in Vienna. He was a painter and caricaturist and was the son of the well documented miniature painter, Josef Zasche (1821-1881).

Theodor studied at the Viennese college of arts and crafts under under F. Laufberger and J.V. Berger, including learning techniques for using pastels and enamels.

He had numerous illustrations published in magazines including; ("Floh (Flea)"; "Wiener Witzblatt (Viennese Joke Sheet)"; "Lustige Blätter (Merry Pages)", Berlin; "Fliegende Blätter (Flying Pages)", München).

From 1910 he worked for "Volkszeitung" and from 1920 for the "Wiener Luft".

The sitter is unknown. 913

Unknown - portrait of a lady

2006-04-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

This miniature is signed with a monogram of a red "M" on the right. The artist is probably French or Belgian and the background illustrates well the art nouveau movement of around 1900. The sitter is unknown. 1057

Prosdocimi, Alberto - portrait of young girl and lady

2006-04-05T21:19:00.000-07:00

These sitters in these two miniature portraits are unrelated, but both portraits are signed "A Prosdocimi" for Alberto Prosdocimi (1852-1925) an Italian artist born in Venice. He taught art and the Princesses von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Oldenburg were amongst his students. Prosdocimi studied at the Academy in Venice and became famous for his exquisitely rendered watercolor scenes. He painted portraits of both King Victor Emmanuel and the Italian Queen Mother. He painted many fine, atmospheric renderings of Venice and was also noted for his fine copies of Hans Memling's work.

The young sitter is thought to be Alice Mary Nolan, as the reverse is engraved "Alice Mary Nolan Sept 24 1916 Ann Rogers Norwood Dec 25 1948".

The lady in the larger portrait is unknown. The detail of the lace on her dress is remarkable and demonstrates that Prosdocimi was one of the best Italian artists of the revival period of the late 19C and early 20C. 665

Dughetti, G portrait of a young lady

2006-04-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "G Dughetti Firenze 12 1951". The artist therefore seems to be Italian, but nothing more is known of them. The sitter is not known. 521

Mechelen, A - portrait of Belgian soldier

2006-04-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "A van Mechelen 1919", for Albert van Mechelen (1867-1937) a Belgian artist. The sitter is a Belgian soldier, but his identity is not known. 496

de Villiers, P - portrait of a French soldier

2006-04-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "P de Villiers 1917". The soldier is presumed to be French and he has "75" on his collar. 1090

Unknown - portrait of Adolf Hitler

2006-04-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is unsigned. The case is engraved A H for Adolf Hitler and the portrait was presumably painted during World War II. 1134

de Jongville, C B - portrait of a baby

2006-04-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

This miniature is signed "C B de Jongville (Jangville?). The sitter is unknown. 194

Renouf (Renout?), Lucie - portrait of a lady

2006-04-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Lucie Renouf (or Renout) 1903". This artist appears to be unrecorded. The sitter is unknown. 23

Nicolet, Frank Lucien - portrait of Rodin with The Thinker

2006-04-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Although somewhat larger than most miniature portraits at 243mm x 165mm, this is a stunning miniature portrait by Frank Lucien Nicolet (1889->1944) of Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) standing by his most famous sculpture. It shows Rodin around 1905.

The bronze sculpture of Rodin shown here is by the British sculptor John Tweed (1869-1933), who was a good friend of Rodin.

It has been dated to around 1902 and is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum Collection, see www.vam.ac.uk/.../rodin/other_rodin/index.html

There is a miniature portrait of John Tweed in this collection which is painted by John Stewart Clark. Whenever Rodin visited London, he stayed with John Tweed.

An early painting of Rodin is this 1881 portrait by Francois Flemang (1856-1923).

No doubt there are other paintings of Rodin, but the miniature portrait, being nearly contemporary with Rodin, must be rare as a painted portrait.

There are many images of Rodin's sculptures available on the Internet, but not many photographs of Rodin himself.

Those available do seem to support the view that the miniature of Rodin represents him around 1905.

One example of a photograph is this 1905 portrait by Walter Henry Barnett which is helpful in dating the miniature, www.iatwm.com/200702/RodinZurich/index.html

The head of Rodin in the miniature portrait is about the same size as would appear in a normal sized miniature portrait.

No direct source for the miniature has been found, although a biography of Rodin includes several photographs which seem to have been taken around the same time, as he is wearing the same dust coat. Contact has been made with the biographer and also the Rodin Museum, but neither of them had seen the image previously.

As indicated below, it is even faintly possible that Nicolet painted the portrait from life, although Nicolet would have been only aged about 16 at the time the portrait relates to.

It is more likely that Nicolet painted the miniature of Rodin as an illustration for a magazine article, perhaps around the time of Rodin's death, but to date no such magazine article has been located.

He was in Canada at some stage as a kind visitor has advised that Nicolet used to go fishing with his father in Canada and in addition, painted a portrait of him.

While there he painted several images which were used for Victory Bond war posters. They included this one titled "Doing my bit- Four Years".

Other Canadian references to F L Nicolet are found in Canada as the painter of more World War I Victory Bonds posters such as "Be yours to hold it high" which is part of the Ontario Archives Collection at Canadian Posters from the First World War - Victory Bonds

Another poster by him is this 1918 poster of a soldier in poppy fields."If ye break faith, we shall not sleep".

Both the latter two posters were inspired by the words in the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McRae, which was first published anonymously in the 8 December 1915 edition of Punch Magazine, as per the copy here below, where the words used on the posters can be seen.

It is owned by The Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, see Parks Canada - Teachers' Corner - The Price We Paid for Nationhood ...

This second poster was used as part of a campaign to raise $150 million, but it was so successful it raised $400 million. As a result Frank Nicolet was awarded a prize by the Canadian Government, see Amanda French SCMLA 2005 Poetic Propaganda and the Provincial ...

An example of the poster which is 61cm x 89 cm, was sold at auction on 19 April 2008 for a hammer price of $300.

There were a number of poems written in reply to Flanders Fields and some of them can be read at Reply-poems to In Flanders Fields

It has been difficult to find further many definite references to Nicolet the person, as opposed to the artist, but it seems likely that he is the Frank Nicolet listed in the 1930 USA census as lodging in White Plains, Westchester, NY. He described himself as an artist who had arrived in America in 1912, having been born in England in 1889 of French and English parents.

There is also a USA draft registration record of June 1917 completed by Frank L Nicolet born 21 October 1889 at Brighton, Sussex, England, who described himself an artist and at that time was living in New York. However, most references say he was born in Sussex England in 1887 and immigrated to Canada at an early age.

After the end of World War Nicolet continued to create posters, including this 1919 one about reconstruction which is part of the Elizabeth Coenan Collection, Provincial Museum of Alberta.

Although no record of him has been found in British census records, it may be that he was the son of Theophile Nicolet (1849-?) of St Etienne, France and Clara Clements (1860-?) his wife who was born on the Ganges, in India. They were married in JFM 1880 and are recorded in the 1891 census record, where Theophile Nicolet was a teacher of languages who lived in Brighton, Sussex, England with five children.

There are a couple of art records for watercolour paintings by a Theophile Nicolet dated 1913 and 1915, one titled "Venise" and the other "Bord de rivière" thus it seems possible that the Nicolet family were in France or Italy at some point after the 1891 British census.

Given this it is quite possible Frank Nicolet did meet Rodin in France.

There are references to Nicolet also making posters for World War II, see Liste alphabétique des titres : À nous de jouer : guide pratique ... 251

Dieke, Max - portrait of an old lady

2006-04-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

This miniature portrait is signed "Max Dieke Leipzig". Max Dieke (1872-1937) also worked in Dresden. The sitter is unknown. 992

Eckardt, Otto - group of family portraits

2006-04-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

All of the miniature portraits in this rare family group of paintings are signed "O E Eckardt" and on the reverse several are stamped "Otto E Eckardt Dresden Lindenaustr 20". Numbers 5 and 6 respectively, have later handwritten notes saying "Great grand mother Marmet" and "Great grand father Marmet". Number 9 has a note saying "Great aunt Lena". Although the artist is from Germany, the portraits were purchased from Ohio. The name Marmet is well recorded there and some brothers who emigrated there became wealthy from coal mining and shipping. It is currently believed that the portraits represent members of this family, especially as there was a daughter called Lena. It seems unlikely that all family members went to Dresden to have their portraits painted and perhaps more likely that photographs of them were sent to Germany and the portraits then painted from the photographs. Although the sitters look rather sombre, the detail in the portraits is amazing. (When time permits, the individual portraits will be loaded.) 698