Portrait of a Woman
ca. 1590
Medium
Vellum laid on card
Dimensions
Oval, 1 x 7/8 in. (27 x 22 mm)
Classification
Miniatures
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
Accession Number
32.100.311
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the intimate world of Elizabethan portraiture with Nicholas Hilliard's *Portrait of a Woman* (ca. 1590), a exquisite miniature measuring just 1 x 7/8 inches. This oval vellum painting, laid on card, exemplifies the miniaturist's art—known as "limning"— Hilliard, Queen Elizabeth I's favored artist, captured likenesses with astonishing precision using delicate brushes and watercolors. Such tiny gems were personal treasures, often set into lockets or rings, symbolizing affection, loyalty, or courtly status. Hilliard's mastery shines in the fine details: subtle shading for depth, vibran...