How were these miniatures displayed?

Owners kept these small portraits on desks using stands or hung them closely on private chamber walls. Many were also worn as lockets or carried in pockets as personal tokens. Their portable nature meant sitters could travel with likenesses of family members or military figures across the country.

What subjects appear in these paintings?

Portraits of identified nobility, children, gentlemen, and military officers form the vast majority of the surviving subjects. Landscapes also appear occasionally from late eighteenth-century hands. Artists focused heavily on capturing the distinct likeness and costume of the individual sitter with immense precision.

How do I identify a Georgian miniature?

Look for specific clothing styles, hair powder, and framing materials typical of the Georgian and Regency periods. Signatures or attributions on the reverse often point to known miniaturists. The use of watercolour on paper beneath curved glass remains a standard indicator of genuine eighteenth-century production.

Why are some miniatures painted on piano keys?

Makers utilised reclaimed ivory or bone slips from musical instruments as a smooth, stable surface for watercolour pigments. This practice repurposed valuable material for fine portraiture. The pale background of the ivory also enhanced the luminosity of the painted flesh tones.