Art historian with an interest in visual messages
Jacob Burkhardt revolutionized art and cultural history in the 19th century, emphasizing the importance of art in understanding societal contexts. Misattributions and unknown subjects in historical portraits persist, complicating scholarship. Modern technology aids in analysis, yet many identities remain elusive, highlighting the depth of art history beyond mere aesthetics.
For those not familiar with the genre of the portrait miniature, let us first consider why and when these portraits became popular in England, and the various artists creating these images for the Tudor court. The half millennium saw a marked change from the religious themes of the medieval period to secular subjects inspired by… Continue reading The origins of the Tudor portrait miniature
Nicholas Hilliard was England’s first English artist to become internationally famous. His self portrait (© Victoria & Albert Museum, London) is a mere 41mm in diameter (1.6 inches) and it is for these exquisitely delicate and miniature images of Elizabeth I and her court that he becomes famous. I fell in love with Hilliard’s miniatures… Continue reading Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619) & Isaac Oliver (1565-1617): Painters to the Elizabethan and Jacobean courts
How does a 21st century audience recognise the shakers and movers of Tudor society? Clearly those historians who immerse themselves in documents will have a feel for the way they believe these men and women thought. Combine that with the use of the portrait as a propoganda tool and suddenly these influential people are no… Continue reading How we know the Movers & Shakers of Tudor Society
Another theory regarding the Yale miniature. Is it Amy Robsart and who is it painted by?
Melanie V Taylor 