Miniature Antique Portrait That I Have Renamed After My Readers and a Giveaway

Miniature portraits catch my attention as much as everything else that is old does.

I have a Brocante Bug badly as you know.

The miniature portrait that I am mostly attracted to are the ones that

aren't raving beauties but have a certain unusual charm. Unique in their oddness. My appeal is not to find the glass slipper.

But realness, a look that strikes my curiosity, Who were they?

Miniature portraits were often commissioned so that they could be

given to a loved one to carry in their breast pocket, as we do now with photos on our cell phones. These miniature portraits

were painted on a very thin piece of ivory. Yes, ivory.

They are expensive but that doesn't stop me from looking and asking the price.

Anything under 60 euros is a deal. As I am on the hunt all the time my goal is to pay as little as possible and to like it tremulously which happens as often as I take a selfie. I have one miniature portrait that I bought for 5 euros about 25 years ago.

I call her Piglet. I know that is terrible, terrible, terrible … 

Online there are thousands of miniature portraits so today I am going to share a few and name them.

Please do not take offense, especially if I do not name all of you. This is just for fun and to share some that I find lovely in their uniqueness.

 

 

Portrait ancienne
Martine

 

 

Portrait homme

Alan

 

 

Minature portrait

Becky

 

 

Miniature Portrait  x

Tara

 

 

Miniature Portrait  x

Diogenes

 

 

Miniature Portrait  x

Frank

 

 

Backside of a miniature portrait

 

The backside of the frames, the old way of securing portraits was like the above image

a circular, thinly cut triangle forms that were easily manipulated,

and yet held the portrait firmly.

 

 

Backside of a miniature portrait

Jilly

 

 

Backside of a miniature portrait

Jackie

 

 

Portrait miniature homme

Ed

 

 

Portrait miniature homme

Seriously! Show off. Dang is this cool.

 

 

Portrait miniature homme

Momof 5

 

Portrait miniature homme

Kathie B

 

 

Portrait miniature homme

Penni

 

 

Portrait miniature homme

How were they made?

 

A portrait on ivory takes about sixteen hours to create…

 

"Portraits were especially likely to be painted when a family member was going to be absent for significant periods, whether a husband or son going to war or emigrating, or a daughter getting married.

The first miniaturists used watercolor to paint on stretched vellum, or (especially in England) on playing cards trimmed to the shape required. During the second half of the 17th century, vitreous enamel painted on copper became increasingly popular, especially in France. In the 18th century, miniatures were painted with watercolor on ivory, which had now become relatively cheap. As small in size as 40 mm × 30 mm, portrait miniatures were often fitted into lockets, inside watch-covers, or pieces of jewelry so that they could be carried on the person. Others were framed with stands or hung on a wall or fitted into snuff box covers." Wiki listed below.

Portrait uniqueLeslie

 

 

Portrait miniature

Lil

 

Portrait miniature

Denise, Marilyn, Teddee, Anna, and Susan Z.

 

Portrait miniature

 

Texas Francophile, Diane my Cousin, Fat Rabbit, PJT, Chico Sue, Leau, Jennifer,

Barbara, Melly, Debra, Nancy, Carol, Julie, Linda, Judy, and Sue.

—–

Dreamy wall! Considering a miniature portrait on average cost a couple of hundred euros

this cost a couple of chunky wallets.

 

Portrait miniature

Rebecca NYC

 

 

 

Portrait miniature

Shelley Noble

Portrait miniature

 

Can you imagine wearing this, the comments you would receive, and the constant 

sharing who they are and their names?

This is Denise from Canada, and Cathleen from the States, and Patrizia from Italy, and Kambria from Mexico…

 

 

 

Portrait miniature

Mardog, my childhood friend, has a winery hence the red shawl.

 

 

Portrait bracelt

Another showoff 

 

Portrait bracelt

More about miniature portraits

This is just too good! I would love to know who collected them and the stories behind them.

 

 

Portrait bracelt

Anna 

 

Animal portraits

For my animal-loving friends…

 

 

Animal portraits

 

Lot Number: 
101
3" (8 cm.) h. painting. An oval oil painting on copper depicting young a full-length portrait of a young lady with well-rendered costume and accessories, framed in an embossed oval case. Along with the painting are 13 mica overlays with hand-painted details of various costumes which, when placed over the oil painting, transform the young girl into various people, both men, and women, in a variety of detailed costumes, thus being an early "paper doll". In overall fair/good condition with wear to leather case, flaking on mica painting. France, mid-1700s, known as "metamorphoses", the overlay paintings became a popular fad for the aristocracy during this time, with various sets believed to represent important historical events or intrigues; they are extremely rare to find, and this example, depicting a full-length portrait figure is especially rare.
 
5000 Euros
 
Gulp. 
 
 
AnticStore-Medium-Ref-81418 portrait holding a portrait
 
Laurie-Annya and Ian.
 
(click on photo for the references to buy it…)
 
 
 
AnticStore-Medium-Ref-81418 portrait holding a portrait
Ching
 
 
 
 
Portrait lady
 
G
 
Portrait lady
 
John
 
 
Portrait lady
Jeanne
 
 
Portraits selection
 
I have two portraits to giveaway…
Send me an email or a comment with a few lines about your favorite photo of yourself or someone you love.
In a few days, I will pick two of you and send you a portrait.
And show you Piglet.
 
 
 
 
Portraits selection

Have you had enough?

If I didn't mention your name you can come to France and bop me on the head.

Or have a glass of wine in the garden with me your choice.



Comments

24 responses to “Miniature Antique Portrait That I Have Renamed After My Readers and a Giveaway”

  1. Beautiful is all you share with us. I love your fascination for French antiques and the history behind them all.
    Much love always
    Jeanne

  2. They are wonderful! 💕

  3. I would say my favorite photos are those of my parents since they have passed. My favorite of the miniature is the one of Jeanne, it looks as if a beloved child or sibling became a nun. As for the wine, you did mention my name, but I will come someday for a glass in the garden!

  4. RebeccaNYC

    oh my goodness Corey!! I love this so much. Now I have to find a costume photo to go along with my miniature portrait! xoxoxox

  5. Favorite photo is of my paternal grandmother, Martine. She is about 89 years old in the photo, sitting at her daughter’s back porch table with one hand on her chin, looking very happy. The photo is in my kitchen and makes me feel like Grandma is always watching over me and smiling.

  6. That miniature captures my messy hair perfectly!
    But I’d like to swap the wine for some delectable French pastries, s’il vous plaît.

  7. OH MY GOSH….such a very clever post and funny too! You are not far off in your choice for g although i did see elements of myself in all of them the look the costume detail the head tilt ….THE EXPRESSION – i LOVE THIS POST and having read you for so long and those who comment i can see the link– corey you are so funny …. i just love it- your attention to detail is marvelous! My favorite picture is my mom, on the beach– circa 1970-71 –she would have been in her thirties-we were on a family vacation to the New Jersey seashore –Wildwood New Jersey- she is on the beach blanket– on her knees but sitting she had just finished lotioning us up with Sea and Ski suntan lotion– I can smell it now– we never used Coopertone – it was probably too expensive – well she has her shortish dark hair windblown back: she has her terry cloth funnel neck beach coverup on wearing her RAY BAND SUNGLASSES– a mom of 4 by this time……. but from the time I first saw this picture– I SEE HER– she is smiling a laugh smile-… not the mom of 4 children or the wife of my dad- but HER– as a girl of summer–TO ME SHE LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL- SO ALIVE -SO HAPPY!! I remember bits of that day- I was maybe 7 I remember the sound of the ocean the wind and the suntan lotion – and THE WAY MY MOM LOOKED-I think that is why my father took the picture– he saw her too in that split second– the girl he loved and married- it is on our fridge. i look at it every day their wedding anniversary is today they would have been married 60 years …. wow ! i cannot wait to read the other comments-such a clever fun loving post. Piglet may sound like a name but pronounced in French i bet it is beautiful!!

  8. Ann of Avondale

    These are great! I like Becky but Mom of 5 looks like one of my school pictures. Glass of wine in the garden would be lovely.

  9. How fun! Lil is my favorite female.

  10. Diana Johannesen

    Wine in the garden when safe!

  11. These are magnificent! The ones with the overlays, spectacular. Wow…just, wow.

  12. Jennifer Phillipps

    Well, I have two actually, if that is ok…one is of my lovely Dad as a wee toddler, sitting on his fathers knee looking sweet and chubby…the other of my Mum sitting on her own holding a little soft toy….my Mum was adopted as her mother got pregnant when unmarried and had to give up her lovely baby…a heart wrenching thing that it seems she never recovered from…my mother did not meet her, finding out who she was a few short years after her mother had passed away…she compensated for her life being difficult by adopting three babies herself, my three siblings…six of us all together..those photos are on my stairs…both my parents passed away, my Dad just a couple of years ago. I say Hi to them each time I go past on the stairs! I love all the minatures by the way, so many amazing faces and goodness knows so many stories behind each that would be wonderful to explore! Cheers from Jennifer

  13. Ohhhhhh, what fun! Yup —- that’s my nose! How great it would be to know some of the stories behind these exquisite works of art.

  14. My favourite photo is of my husband and our “best dog ever,” Odelia. We lost Odelia in February of 2020 and my husband on our 36th wedding anniversary in June, 2020. You always share the most wonderful and inspiring pieces. <3

  15. Your creativity is boundless….

  16. I love Leslie’s curls, but my favorite is Jilly. that’s my favorite niece’s name and the portrait is beautiful. The details in such tiny paintings is amazing. The first photo I thought of is one of me at about 4 years old standing in the grass wearing jodhpurs, squinting into the sun. The other is my grandma from Germany sitting on the rocky beach at our family cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan with a beer bottle in hand! She had a big bosom and when she hugged me I would get buried in the warmth and protection of it. She also liked to nip us grandchildren on the cheek when kissing us!
    Nina in Michigan

  17. So charming!

  18. Charland

    What treasures these are. They entice the wonder of the ages and the thoughts that go through the minds. Kathie B comes to the front for me and you wish you could know more about her. You need the stories behind those faces.

  19. Teddee Grace

    Thanks for the nod! I’d trade her for the hair and the costume in which I’d be right at home.

  20. Dawn Fleming

    I love miniature portraits. I wish they could talk to us. One of my favorite photos is of myself and my dad out in our yard. My dad is sitting in the grass and I am in his lap. I’m about 4 years old and very happy. The sun is out and I’m holding one of those pinwheels on a stick that goes around when the wind blows. Such a simple time back then. 😊

  21. Judy McGowan

    I recently received a copy of a portrait of my paternal grandparents. Until this time I had never known what they looked like. The cousin who sent me the picture had been promising for years to send the picture, and I finally confronted her about her dalliance in sending it. My grandmother died in 1914 and my grandfather died in 1925. My father was one of six boys and when their mother died they went to live in the Baptist orphanage. The family was very poor and I am greatly surprised they ever sat for such a portrait. I do not have a similar portrait of my maternal grandparents. So, early portraits are pretty scarce in my family. I find the tiny portraits amazing simply because of their size. The artist’s paintbrush must have been akin to an eyelash. A loyal follower, Judy

  22. One -a black and white photo of my younger brother I took in 1972.
    Two – One of me at my job when I was first in love and expecting my beau to stop by and see me.

  23. Lynn Hicks

    These are so amazing and exquisite in detail, thank you for the wonderful history and story about these miniature portraits.
    My favorite photo is my mom’s hand holding a beautiful fountain pen. She loves to write and is always sending letters,articles of interest to me and other family members.
    Another favorite is one of my dad when he was a baby (born 1923). It is tiny and black/white and has a “miniature portrait” aspect to it.

  24. I am slow to the party of pictures, but loved all the names you chose.
    What fun and a bit of silliness, just what is needed. The showoffs were particularly stunning.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.