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Gentleman with Blue Eyes, by Jeremiah Meyer, R.A., Circa 1780An outstanding English portrait miniature of a gentleman with blue eyes, wearing a powdered wig, and dressed in a blue coat with black velvet collar, white shirt, and white cravat. The portrait is set in a period paste silver frame with ribbon detail, a brushed silver mat, and a solid reverse. Jeremiah Meyer (1735-1789), one of the finest miniaturists of the 18th century, was born in Tubigen, Germany to an artistic family, his father the portrait painter to the Duke of Wurtemberg. When Meyer was fourteen his father brought him to England, and the adolescent artist studied at the St. Martin’s Lane Academy as well as with fellow German miniaturist Christian Friedrich Zincke. Meyer painted miniatures, enamels, watercolors and portraits in oil. He exhibited at the Society of Artists from 1760 to 1767, receiving a gold medal, and was a founding member of the Royal Academy, where he exhibited from 1769 to 1783. He became a naturalized citizen of England in 1762, and in 1764 was appointed miniature painter to the Queen and painter in enamel to the King. Meyer numbered among his friends the painter George Romney and the poet William Hayley, and among his pupils the miniaturists Richard Collins and Diana Hill. Examples of his works may be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum, and in the collection of Her Majesty, the Queen. Miniatures by Meyer are scarce. Material: Watercolor on ivory.
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An Actor, by George Place, Circa 1790An Anglo-Irish portrait miniature of an actor with brown eyes and dark hair, wearing a black cape and white collar, a red curtain in the background. The painting is set in a gold locket frame with an inner gold mat, the reverse with plaited hair. Note the strong resemblance between the sitter in this miniature and the one by George Place of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, 1796, in the Victoria and Albert Museum (see The English Miniature, by John Murdoch, plate 200, page 192.) George Place (d. 1805), was one of the very talented late 18th century English miniaturists who, in the wake of Meyer and Cosway’s pioneer work, went on to develop highly individual styles, and flourished in the artistic atmosphere of the time. The son of a Dublin draper, Place entered the Dublin Society Schools in December 1775, where he studied under F.R. West. Place practiced for a time in Dublin, painting in miniature and in oil, and then went to London, where he exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1791 to 1797. In 1798 he received permission to go to Bengal with his wife, and subsequently worked in Lucknow, where he painted portraits of Nawab and members of his court. It is likely that many of Place's paintings painted in Lucknow perished during the Mutiny. Examples of his work may be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Ashmolean Museum and the British Museum. Material: Watercolor on ivory.
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Gentleman with Sharp Green Eyes, Signed by Picot de Cloriviere, Circa 1805A rare American portrait miniature of a gentleman with sharp green eyes and black hair, wearing a black coat, white waistcoat, white pleated shirt, white cravat, and circular pin. The painting is signed at the lower right: P. de C…., and set in the original gilded copper locket frame, the reverse with a glazed aperture holding maroon silk. This is an particularly excellent example of this hard-to-find artist’s work. Joseph-Pierre Picot de Limoelan de Cloriviere (1768-1826), born in Brittany, was an officer in the army of Louis XVI. After his father’s death on the guillotine during the French Revolution, he joined the Vendeen revolt, and was implicated in the attempted assassination of Napoleon on Christmas Eve, 1800. Sentenced to death, Cloriviere was the only conspirator to escape, with the help of his fiancée, who vowed to join a convent if he reached safety. Cloriviere fled to America, and his fiancée became a nun. Cloriviere settled in the South and became an agent for his brother-in-law, administering his American estates. Cloriviere also began painting miniatures, signing his works variously Picot, P. de Cloriviere, or Guitry. Many of Cloriviere’s miniatures were painted in the South, although he also traveled for his agent work, including trips to New York City and through New York State, and took portrait commissions during these trips. In 1808 de Cloriviere entered St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, becoming ordained in 1812. He was assigned to a parish in Charleston, South Carolina, and journeyed briefly to France in 1815, where he was decorated by Louis XVIII for his support of the monarchy. In 1819 he resigned his parish to become Director of the Convent of Visitation in Georgetown, D.C., where today he is revered as the second founder of that congregation by its members. When he died in 1826, he was buried beneath the altar of the monastery chapel, where his tomb remains to this day. One of Cloriviere’s miniatures may be seen at the Cincinnati Art Museum, and several others are at the Gibbes Art Museum. In the winter of 2002, The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts [MESDA] published a volume on Cloriviere, with new research and photos of his work. A copy of that volume will accompany this miniature. Material: Watercolor on ivory.
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Gentleman with Blue Eyes, Attributed to William Dunlap, Circa 1805A very fine American portrait miniature of a gentleman with blue eyes and red-gold hair, wearing a black coat, white waistcoat, and white cravat. The painting is set in the original gilded copper locket frame, the reverse with a glazed aperture holding a lock of red-gold hair and a lock of blond hair, tied with seed pearls and gold wire, and set on ivory. It may be noted that the sitter for this portrait bears a resemblance to one of the two Dunlap self-portrait miniatures in the Yale Art Gallery. However, in that self-portrait Dunlap faces left, while this sitter faces right. William Dunlap (1766-1839), a famous artist, art historian and dramatist, was a founding member of the National Academy of Design, of which he served as Treasurer and Vice-President. His large painting “Christ Rejected” is at Princeton University, and—author of over 60 plays and a number of biographies and histories--he is best known for his two volume History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of Design in the United States. His sitters included President Tyler, the actor James Fennel, and Timothy Dwight, President of Yale University. Dunlap was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to Samuel Dunlap, a British soldier turned merchant, and Margaret Sargeant, a New Jersey native of English descent. At age 12 Dunlap damaged his right eye in an accident, which was later to affect his sense of perspective when painting larger pieces. Dunlap studied briefly with the artist William Williams--very briefly, according to Dunlap’s account: “My father made an arrangement with Williams to teach me, but after two or three visits the teacher was not to be found, or if found, was unfit for service either from ebriety or its effects.”1 At age 17 Dunlap executed from life a pastel portrait of George Washington, which is now in the collection of the U.S. Senate. Dunlap later traveled to London, where he studied with Benjamin West from 1784 to 1787. Upon his return to the United States he married Elizabeth Woolsey, and they had two children, Margaret and John Alexander. William at this time turned from painting to another passion—drama—and took up theatrical management in New York City. In 1805 he worked as an itinerant miniaturist in New York State, Boston, Baltimore, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia, from 1805 to 1806, and again in 1811 to 1813. In 1817 he became active full-time as a painter, executing portraits in oil and pastel, portrait miniatures, and large allegorical and religious pictures. A member of the American Academy of the Fine Arts, and named Librarian and Keeper in 1817, he exhibited there from 1816 until 1839, and at the National Academy of Design from 1826 to 1838. Works by him may be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the New York Historical Society, the Yale University Gallery, and the Worcester Art Museum. Portrait miniatures by Dunlap are rare. Material: Watercolor on ivory. Provenance: Limner Antiques, June 1989.
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Gentleman in a Red Coat, Signed by James Nixon A.R.A., Circa 1790A striking British portrait miniature of a gentleman with green eyes and blond hair, wearing a red coat, cream waistcoat and cravat. The painting is signed at the lower right: N, and holds a cut-down calling card with the name: Miss Duff. The portrait is set in the original gold locket frame, the reverse with plaited brown hair and a lock of lighter brown hair. It is likely that this portrait was painted for Miss Duff. It is interesting to note how the vivid coloring of the clouds in the background and the reddish shading on the face hold their own against the bright red of the coat, while the muted cream of the hair and waistcoat provide a quiet level of contrast to the drama of the overall portrait. James Nixon (1741-1812), A.R.A., worked primarily in London, and briefly in Edinburgh, executing miniatures, portraits in watercolor and oil, historical subjects, and book illustrations. His best portraits are incisive interpretations of character, beautifully executed and original in approach. He attended the Royal Academy Schools, where, like Shelley, he was influenced by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and he became a member of the Society of Artists. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1772 to 1807, at the Society of Artists from 1765 to 1771, and at the British Institute. Nixon was appointed limner to the Prince Regent, and miniature-painter to the Duchess of York. Many of Nixon’s miniatures were of actresses in character, and his distinguished clientele included the Duchess of Devonshire, the Duchess of Rutland, and Joseph Farington. In spite of his professional success, he did not fare well financially. Examples of his work may be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Liverpool Museum, the National Museum, Stockholm and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Material: Watercolor on ivory.
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Gentleman in Black, Attributed to Daniel Dickinson, Circa 1830An American portrait miniature of a gentleman with blue eyes and brown hair, wearing a black coat, white shirt, stickpin, and black cravat. The painting is set in a gilt locket frame with a chased rim, the reverse with a glazed aperture holding a lock of blonde hair. Daniel Dickinson (1795-c.1866), the son of the amateur portrait painter Oliver Dickinson Jr., and the younger brother of the miniaturist Anson Dickinson, was born in Litchfield, Connecticut. At age 17 Dickinson studied drawing with Nathaniel Jocelyn of Hartford, and six years later he moved to Philadelphia, where he became a leading miniaturist. Dickinson exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Artists' Fund Society, his sitters including artist John Neagle, and President Franklin Pierce. In 1847 Dickinson moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his interests eventually turned to horticulture. Dale Johnson says of Dickinson: "Though Daniel's miniatures are often mistaken for the work of his brother, their techniques differ. Daniel worked with a broader and more painterly brushstroke than Anson; the effect is a freer, less controlled rendering of hair and clothing. Faces are strongly modeled, with deep contrasts between illuminated and shadowed areas." Dickinson's work may be seen at the Metropolitan Museum and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Material: Watercolor on ivory.
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Gentleman in Blue Coat, Attributed to Nathaniel Hancock, Circa 1795An early American portrait miniature of a gentleman with brown eyes and brown hair, wearing a blue coat, red waistcoat, white shirt and white cravat. The painting is set in the original gold locket case with a scalloped inner gold mat, a cartridge-edged rim, and a solid reverse with brooch pin. It is interesting to note that a similar cartridge-edge is on the case of Hancock’s miniature self-portrait and his miniature of Jedidiah Morse, both at the Yale University Art Gallery. Nathaniel Hancock (flourished 1792-1809), like a number of American miniaturists, migrated from Europe, most likely England. Apparently professionally trained, he set up practice in Massachusetts, executing miniatures that were both assured and appealing. The obituary of his wife Elizabeth, published in 1792 in the Boston Independent Chronicle, was the first clue of his presence in the U.S., soon followed by his advertisement: …”the most correct Likenesses…finish[ed] in an elegant style of painting…in gilt frame and glass included, and elegant Devices in Hair…” Given the brightwork on several of his miniature frames, it is thought that he may also have been an engraver. Hancock also advertised in the Boston Columbian Centinel of June 17, 1797, offering “flower pieces, Landscape & c. as pat[t]erns [painted patterns for needlework].” In 1796 Hancock began itinerant portrait work, traveling to Petersburg, Richmond, Boston, Portsmouth, Exeter and Salem. Hancock’s works may be seen at the Peabody Essex Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Yale University Art Gallery. His miniatures are scarce. Material: Watercolor on ivory.
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Gentleman with Brown Eyes, Signed by Moses B. Russell, Dated 1837An American portrait miniature of a young man with brown eyes and brown hair, wearing a black coat, white shirt, black cravat and small gold pin. The backing paper of the ivory is inscribed with an illegible phrase, and is signed: Painted by M.B. Russell/ 1837. The painting is housed in the original gilt locket frame with a cast foliate rim, the reverse with a glazed aperture holding plaited brown hair. Moses B. Russell (1810-1884) was born in Woodstock, New Hampshire, and lived the rest of his life in Boston, working briefly from 1854 to 1861 in New York and Philadelphia. He painted miniatures and oil portraits, later in life executing daguerreotypes, and exhibited at the Boston Atheneum, the Harding Gallery, the Boston Art Association, the Boston Mechanic’s Association, and the American Institute of the City of New York. In 1939 he married Clarissa Peters, who went on to become a highly regarded miniaturist, exhibiting under the name Mrs. Moses B. Russell. Examples of his work may be seen at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture. Material: Watercolor on ivory. Provenance: Limner Antiques, November 10, 1977.
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The primary references used for the artist biographies
on the listings are: Miniatures Dictionary and Guide by
Daphne Foskett,
American Portrait Miniatures in The Manney Collection,
by Dale Johnson and The Miniature in Europe, by Leo Schidlof.
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