Private portraits: European miniatures at the V&A

What is the course about?

On this single-session course we shall examine a wide range of beautiful miniatures in the V&A collection, produced from Tudor times up to the Victorian era, and discuss their wider contexts. You will follow the development of the portrait miniature from its origins in illuminated manuscripts, and the see the various techniques employed by miniaturists, or limners, as they were known at the time. We will consider the relationship between the physical form of the portrait and its functions as a very personal keepsake, lover’s gift or tiny piece of propaganda. We will see that the framing of a miniature could be as intricate and luxurious as the images themselves, with some works encased in ivory or gold and sometimes encrusted with the most lavish jewels. As you will discover, the miniature portrait as a separate entity originated in the early 16th century at the French and English royal courts, beginning as an exclusive and courtly art for the very rich, but developing into one that spread further afield into other areas of society as time went on.

You will be able to see the work of key artists who were known for producing miniatures, including Jean Clouet, François Clouet, Hans Holbein the Younger, Levina Teerlinc, Nicholas Hilliard, Lucas Horenbout, Isaac Oliver, Peter Oliver, John Hoskins I, Samuel Cooper, Richard Gibson, Susannah Penelope Rosse, Rosalba Carriera, Nathaniel Hone, Richard Cosway, George Engleheart and others, and discover their relationship to their patrons and the courts and circles in which they moved.

A meeting point for the session will be emailed to you at least one week before the session.

What will we cover?

• Through displays in Room 90A we will examine the different techniques used for making miniatures, and the ways in which they were framed and presented

• We will see the development of the portrait miniature from its inception in the early 16th century to Victorian times

• We will discuss the functions of the portrait miniature throughout history and the different ways in which they were consumed (used) by their owners.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

· Explain how portrait miniatures developed from images in illuminated manuscripts to the enamelled portrait miniatures of the Georgian and Victorian eras

· Explain the origin of the word “miniature”

· Name at least five significant European miniature painters

· Be able to identify three different techniques used for miniature painting, explain the processes involved in their production and relate these to the different effects achieved

· Give at least three reasons for the production of portrait miniature.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is suitable for all levels. No previous knowledge of portrait miniatures is required although the three-week online VB776 Private Portraits course will give you excellent preparation for the gallery visit should you wish to take it.

You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. You will be invited to take part in group discussion.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

You will be taught in the gallery with lecture and group discussions. Handouts will be provided by your tutor to support your learning on the course; these handouts will be available online/digitally for download via the college’s Google Classroom. You will be sent an invitation to join Google Classroom within a week of the course start date. Please note: the tutor is unable to send documents via email because of copyright and data protection restrictions.

Museum/gallery-based courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or behaviours of visitors outside of the course group. Unless you are a wheelchair user, and have confirmed access details with us (as levels of access can vary between galleries), you will need to be able to walk between exhibits and stand for some time while looking at them (you may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to any gallery stools.) If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, to discuss reasonable accommodations we can make to assist your learning in the museum space.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Magnifying glasses are in theory available to borrow at the gallery but they can be in short supply and there is no guarantee that there will be enough to go round on the day, although you can of course share. This means you may wish to bring your own magnifying glass to the gallery session although this is not essential. Your tutor will advise you of a type with a suitable focal length should you wish to purchase one (about £25), since the miniatures are in glass cases and you cannot put a magnifying glass very close to the exhibits.

You might wish to purchase a notebook for taking notes. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list provided. Entrance to the gallery is free.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

VB776 Private portraits: painted miniatures in early modern Europe.