Eye miniature

Princess Charlotte of Wales , 1796-1817, by Charlotte Jones

Eye miniatures (German eyes miniatures ) or Lovers' eyes were miniatures from the era of Hanoverian England , mostly carried out as a watercolor on ivory, showing one or both eyes of a partner, lover or child. They were usually commissioned for sentimental reasons and were worn as bracelets, brooches, pendants or rings with ornate frames. They met the same emotional needs as lockets that hide portraits or locks of hair.

This fashion began in the 18th century when miniaturists such as Richard Cosway (1742–1821) and George Engleheart created the first pieces.

history

The origin of the eye miniatures is believed to be that the Prince of Wales (later George IV. ) Had an emotional need to send the widow Maria Fitzherbert a pledge of his love. The gesture and romance were frowned upon by the court. Therefore, a miniaturist was hired to paint only the eye, thus preserving anonymity and decency. The couple attended a wedding ceremony on December 15, 1785, although the invalidity of the marriage under the Royal Marriages Act was known to all involved, as George III. had not agreed.

It is reported that George IV wore Maria's eye miniature under his lapel. This is believed to be the catalyst for this fashion, which appeared at the courts and in the wealthy families of England, Russia, France and, less often, America between 1790 and 1820. A note in Lady Eleanor Butler's diary describes the arrival of a young man who had completed the Grand Tour and such an eye in a ring from Paris ("an Eye, done in Paris and set in a ring - a true French idea." ) had brought.

The high prices achieved with originals have created a market for imitations.

Illustrations

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  Maria Fitzherbert's eye as a watercolor on ivory

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  Maria Fitzherbert , portrait by Joshua Reynolds

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  Sarah Goodridge's cutting-step self-portrait was of the eye miniatures inspired

literature

• Graham C. Boettcher: The Look of Love: Eye Miniatures from the Skier Collection. Exhibition and Accompanying Catalog. Giles, London 2012, ISBN 978-1-907804-01-4 .
• Eve M. Kahn: Loving 'Lover's Eyes' and Loving Cereal . In: The New York Times . February 2, 2012 ( nytimes.com ).

Web links

Commons : Eye miniatures  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Eye miniatures

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Peter Wegmann: The world of portrait miniatures: Masterpieces from the Emil S. Kern collection . Benteli, 2008, ISBN 978-3-7165-1485-6 , pp. 83 f.
2. ↑ Theodor von Frimmel: Blätter für Paintingkunde 1908, p. 24.
3. ^ Sentimental Jewelry
4. ^ Art of Mourning ( Memento from August 17, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
5. ↑ GCBoettcher: The Look of Love: Eye Miniatures from the Skier Collection. 2012, p. 13.
6. ↑ Candice Hern - Romance novelist ( Memento from November 6, 2002 in the Internet Archive )
7. ^ Dennis Gaffney: Tips of the Trade. Gazing Into Lovers' Eyes. In: Antiques Roadshow. August 5, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2017.