What is a portrait miniature?

A portrait miniature is a highly detailed, small-scale painting executed in watercolour or gouache, historically painted on vellum, card, or ivory substrates and set within a frame or locket.

What materials were used to create 19th-century portrait miniatures?

Nineteenth-century portrait miniatures were primarily painted using finely ground watercolour pigments on thin ivory sheets or stiff paper card, protected by convex glass and housed in gilt-bronze or wooden frames.

How do you identify authentic Regency portrait miniatures?

Authentic Regency portrait miniatures feature period-accurate clothing styles, fine cross-hatching or stippling painting techniques, light watercolour backgrounds, and original metal, gilt, or papier-mache mounts.

How can portrait miniatures be styled in contemporary interiors?

Portrait miniatures are effectively styled when grouped together on a gallery wall, arranged on a brass easel within a bookshelf, or placed alongside contemporary ceramics on a sideboard.

How should an antique watercolour portrait miniature be cared for?

Keep watercolour portrait miniatures away from direct sunlight, UV exposure, and fluctuating humidity levels to prevent pigment fading and cracking of the substrate.

for sale €608 $660

£520

The English Interior

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Gold Framed Miniature Portrait

Id #SA1231823

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The Blue Boy - 19th Century Portrait Miniature / Circle of Richard Cosway

Name: The Blue Boy - 19th Century Portrait Miniature / Circle of Richard Cosway
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1231823
Price: 520 GBP
Availability: InStock

18th century

For Sale by The English Interior

Description

Charming and diminutive portrait miniature of a young raven haired gentleman. With his wide eyes, rosebud lips and mop of curly hair the sitter is every inch the dashing early 19th century gentleman.

He wears a striped white wide collared shirt under a cobalt blue jacket. Of particular note here in the fine condition and colours which remain fresh and vibrant. This fine work is house in a high quality velvet lined leather carrying and display case wirth easel strap back, which is marked in gilt lettering for a London frame maker.

Richard Cosway (1742-1821)

Richard Cosway was born near Tiverton, Devon. Aged twelve, he was sent to London to train as an artist. He studied at the academy run by William Shipley, where fellow pupils included Ozias Humphry, who later also became a Royal Academician.

In 1760 Cosway embarked upon a career as an independent artist, swiftly establishing himself as a society portraitist. He produced miniatures and drawings ‘stained’ or ‘tinged’ with watercolour. In the 1760s, he exhibited regularly at the Society of Arts and the Free Society of Artists. These provided opportunities to showcase his ambitious oil portraits, rather than his fashionable miniatures and drawings.

The Royal Academy, founded in 1768, elected few miniaturists, a possible reason for why Cosway chose to exhibit his oil paintings. In 1769 Cosway was admitted as a student to the Academy schools (a prerequisite for later membership), leading to his election as one of the first Associates in 1770. He became a full Member in 1771, exhibiting in the annual exhibition until 1806. In Zoffany’s group portrait of the Academicians (1771-2), Cosway occupies a prominent position on the far right, painted full-length with an elegant and refined appearance.

In the 1780s Cosway married the artist and musician Maria Hadfield. They operated a fashionable salon from their Pall Mall residence, with the Gainsboroughs as their immediate neighbours. During this time, Cosway attracted the patronage of George, Prince of Wales (later George IV) for whom he worked for the next 30 years, producing numerous paintings of the Prince and his close circle.

The most fashionable portrait miniaturist of the late eighteenth century, Cosway’s mature style epitomised early Regency taste. Cosway was prolific, creating up to twelve portraits in a single day. He also collaborated with engravers to reproduce his work for a wider public.

Cosway was also renowned as a connoisseur, virtuoso and collector. He assembled an outstanding art collection including works by Rubens alongside valuable armour, furniture and decorative objects. Following his death in 1821, this much-admired collection was sold at auction, where Sir John Soane bought over 30 objects for his own collection.

Frame height 12 cm

Frame length 17cm

Miniature Height 4.5cm

Miniature length 3.5cm

Ivory exemption submission reference: HJVK7VC2

Physical Dimensions

Height

17cm (6.69")

Width

12cm (4.72")

Depth

1cm (0.39")

Declaration

The English Interior has dated this Regency Portrait Miniature Painting to the Georgian era.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1231823

Description

Charming and diminutive portrait miniature of a young raven haired gentleman.

“

With his wide eyes, rosebud lips and mop of curly hair the sitter is every inch the dashing early 19th century gentleman.

The English Interior

He wears a striped white wide collared shirt under a cobalt blue jacket. Of particular note here in the fine condition and colours which remain fresh and vibrant. This fine work is house in a high quality velvet lined leather carrying and display case wirth easel strap back, which is marked in gilt lettering for a London frame maker.

fig 1. An oval 19th-century portrait miniature depicting a young boy with brown hair wearing a blue jacket, set within a gilded frame. — fig 1. The Blue Boy - 19th Century Portrait Miniature / Circle of Richard Cosway

Richard Cosway (1742-1821)

Richard Cosway was born near Tiverton, Devon. Aged twelve, he was sent to London to train as an artist. He studied at the academy run by William Shipley, where fellow pupils included Ozias Humphry, who later also became a Royal Academician.

fig 2. An oval 19th-century portrait miniature depicting a young boy with brown hair wearing a blue jacket, set within a gilded frame. — fig 2. The Blue Boy - 19th Century Portrait Miniature / Circle of Richard Cosway

In 1760 Cosway embarked upon a career as an independent artist, swiftly establishing himself as a society portraitist. He produced miniatures and drawings ‘stained’ or ‘tinged’ with watercolour. In the 1760s, he exhibited regularly at the Society of Arts and the Free Society of Artists. These provided opportunities to showcase his ambitious oil portraits, rather than his fashionable miniatures and drawings.

fig 3. An oval 19th-century portrait miniature depicting a young boy with brown hair wearing a blue jacket, set within a gilded frame. — fig 3. The Blue Boy - 19th Century Portrait Miniature / Circle of Richard Cosway

The Royal Academy, founded in 1768, elected few miniaturists, a possible reason for why Cosway chose to exhibit his oil paintings. In 1769 Cosway was admitted as a student to the Academy schools (a prerequisite for later membership), leading to his election as one of the first Associates in 1770. He became a full Member in 1771, exhibiting in the annual exhibition until 1806. In Zoffany’s group portrait of the Academicians (1771-2), Cosway occupies a prominent position on the far right, painted full-length with an elegant and refined appearance.

fig 4. An oval 19th-century portrait miniature depicting a young boy with brown hair wearing a blue jacket, set within a gilded frame. — fig 4. The Blue Boy - 19th Century Portrait Miniature / Circle of Richard Cosway

In the 1780s Cosway married the artist and musician Maria Hadfield. They operated a fashionable salon from their Pall Mall residence, with the Gainsboroughs as their immediate neighbours. During this time, Cosway attracted the patronage of George, Prince of Wales (later George IV) for whom he worked for the next 30 years, producing numerous paintings of the Prince and his close circle.

The most fashionable portrait miniaturist of the late eighteenth century, Cosway’s mature style epitomised early Regency taste. Cosway was prolific, creating up to twelve portraits in a single day. He also collaborated with engravers to reproduce his work for a wider public.

Cosway was also renowned as a connoisseur, virtuoso and collector. He assembled an outstanding art collection including works by Rubens alongside valuable armour, furniture and decorative objects. Following his death in 1821, this much-admired collection was sold at auction, where Sir John Soane bought over 30 objects for his own collection.

Frame height 12 cm

Frame length 17cm

Miniature Height 4.5cm

Miniature length 3.5cm