Diminutive marvels of artistry and fine craftsmanship, portrait miniatures reveal a wealth of information within their small frames. They can tell tales of cultural history and biography, of people and their passions, of evolving tastes in jewelry, fashion, hairstyles, and the decorative arts. Unlike many other genres, miniatures have a tradition in which amateurs and professionals have operated in parallel and women artists have flourished as professionals.
This richly illustrated book presents approximately 180 portrait miniatures selected from the holdings of the Cincinnati Art Museum, the largest and most diverse collection of its kind in North America. The book stresses the continuity of stylistic tradition across Europe and America as well as the vitality of the portrait miniature format through more than four centuries. A detailed catalogue entry, as well as a concise artist biography, appears for each object. Essays examine various aspects of miniature painting, of the depiction of costume in miniatures, and of the allied art of hair work.



Published in association with the Cincinnati Art Museum

Exhibition Schedule:

Cincinnati Art Museum (March 4-May 28, 2006)

Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, South Carolina (August 18-October 22, 2006)

About the Author
Julie Aronson is curator of American painting and sculpture, and Marjorie E. Wieseman is curator of European painting and sculpture, at the Cincinnati Art Museum.



Reviews

"Perfect Likeness showcases the largest collection of miniatures in the U.S. . . . "-Booklist

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Book Information
ISBN 9780300115802
Author Julie Aronson
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
Weight(grams) 2200g