Bruges, Belgium Watercolor on Paper
Erica Youngman – 2019
3.75″ x 2.5″.
Though there are miniature paintings known from the end of the Roman Empire, it wasn’t until the 1500s that miniature painting became an independent art form. In 1530, Jean Clouet of France created the first miniature portrait independent of a book. Around the same time, German artist Hans Holbein moved to England and became the court painter to Henry the 8th. He painted miniature portraits of the English royalty and was considered the first master of miniature painting.
Miniature painting in the form of portraits continued to gain in popularity throughout Europe and the American colonies. It reached a peak in the 1700s, when thousands of tiny portraits were commissioned. English artist George Engleheart alone completed over 4,900 miniatures throughout his career.
The introduction of the Daguerreotype camera in 1839 spelled the end of the boom for miniature works. However, by the late 1800s, a revival began for miniature paintings. Several significant miniature painting societies were formed, such as the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers and the American Society of Miniature Painters. Many of these organizations continue to hold yearly competitions to promote the fine art of miniatures.
To qualify as a miniature painting, its area cannot be larger than 25 square inches (i.e., 5″ x 5″) and the subject cannot be painted any larger than one-sixth of its actual size.
Erica Youngman of Dorset, England is a miniature artist of notable merit. She began her professional career as a painter in 1997, and expanded into miniature art in 2004. Ms. Youngman has garnered many prestigious awards from the Royal Miniature Society, the Hilliard Society, and other recognized venues. For inspiration, she has traveled through parts of Europe, resulting in beautiful renderings from Venice, Amsterdam, and other picturesque locales.
The museum acquired this artwork from Erica Youngman via Hilliard Society of Wells City, Somerset, England. It is her watercolor rendering of the canals at Rozenhoedkaai, in Bruges, Belgium. Including the matt board and frame, the dimensions of this piece are 6 1/3″ x 5″.