This beautiful book explores the art of Elizabethan and Jacobean portrait miniatures, a form in which England excelled through the mastery of Nicholas Hilliard and Isaac Oliver. Centred on the exceptional collection of Walter Samuel, 2nd Viscount Bearsted, it reveals how these jewel-like works embodied the romance, symbolism and power of their time.
 
Painted on an intimate scale with astonishing detail, portrait miniatures encapsulate the romance and mystery of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Portrait miniatures were an art form in which England excelled, led by two master practitioners, Nicholas Hilliard and Isaac Oliver. These jewel-like works reflected the aspirations and ambitions of their patrons, in a culture where elaborate
costumes, concealed meanings and complex symbolism infused both art and everyday life.
 
These exquisite portraits were remarkably versatile. They could serve as private tokens of love or remembrance hidden in lockets, or as glittering public statements, set into precious jewels and worn openly on the body. For Hilliard, who was court limner to Elizabeth I and James VI & I, they also projected royal authority, through the careful circulation of versions and variants.
 
Admired for their technical brilliance and rich iconography, portrait miniatures have fascinated collectors for centuries. One such collector was Walter Samuel, 2nd Viscount Bearsted, who in the early twentieth century assembled one of the finest collections of European art in Britain. While his home, Upton House, and much of his collection passed to the National Trust in 1948, this group of early English miniatures remained with the family. It is this remarkable collection that forms the focus of the present exhibition and catalogue.