RESERVED FOR DONNA SUE Portrait of a French Noblewoman on Porcelain, 15 x 11 Centimetres, Ornate Ormolu Frame set into Oak With Red Velvet Covering, Circa 1800

Portrait of a French Noblewoman on Porcelain, 15 x 11 Centimetres, Ornate Ormolu Frame set into Oak With Red Velvet Covering, Circa 1800

Most miniature portraits were painted as keepsakes to be given to loved ones, and are therefore among the most personal items we have documenting art history. From the early 16th century onwards there were artists specialised in producing such miniatures. The “golden age” of miniature painting came towards the end of the 18th century and in the early 19th century due to the requirement of the nobility to have portable possessions due to the French Revolution.

Over the years I have seen many hundreds of miniatures in France but never one as exquisite as this. It is signed on the right of the portrait.