Portrait of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
Medium
enamel on copper in a gilt metal frame
Dimensions
framed: 6.4 × 5.1 cm · sight: 5.9 × 4.8 cm
Classification
Portrait Miniature
Department
European Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The Edward B. Greene Collection
Accession Number
1949.549
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
Unlike fragile portrait miniatures painted in watercolor on vellum or ivory, which are prone to cracking, fading, and flaking, enamels are resilient, impervious to the effects of light, and retain their striking original colors over time. Partly for this reason enamel was considered ideal for reproducing famous paintings and treasured portraits in a reduced and luminous form. The complicated and labor-intensive process of enameling required the artist to fire numerous layers of colored metal oxi...