Edwardian Portrait Miniatures
This March, art consultant and portrait miniature specialist Emma Rutherford will be curating and exhibiting a collection of Edwardian portrait miniatures from 1870 to 1970, from private collections.
The exhibition is set to coincide with the release of a book written by Roger and Carmela Arturi Phillips, 'A Dictionary of Miniature Painter 1970-1970', and will take place at the leading Old Master gallery Philip Mould & Co., 29 Dover Street, London W1S 4NA.
Portrait miniatures, after experiencing a dip in popularity upon the invention of photography, enjoyed a revival in the early 20th century, and this exhibition aims to reflect this well known era through the 'lens' of the artist, and the social legacy of miniatures.
The exhibition will showcase the best of the elegant Edwardian society portrait miniature through to more contemporary examples reliant upon both photography and sittings.
The collection contains miniature by many great practitioners, including artists Charles James Turrell and Gertrude Massey, both of whom are represented in the Royal Collection.
Curator Emma Rutherford states "This is the first time an exhibition of portrait miniatures has been devoted to this period
"Later miniature, particularly those from the Edwardian period, have increased in value almost fourfold over the past ten years, with their particular aesthetic appealing to a wider audience.
"A book devoted to this neglected period is long overdue and I am sure will be a great academic resource as well as a thing of beauty."