Art historian Emma Rutherford traces the history of English portrait miniatures at the AGO

Hello volunteers! Sharing notice of this upcoming free-with-admission (free to volunteers!) talk at the Gallery (Feb. 4) which I know will be of special interest to many of you! – read on, Holly

Highly sought after in Europe for nearly four hundred years, portrait miniatures were once deeply personal objects—small enough to be held in the hand or slipped into a pocket. Often exchanged as tokens of love or remembrance, these jewel-sized paintings carry emotional weight, capturing likenesses, relationships, and moments in time with delicate precision. Because of this, they sit at the intersection of fine art, jewellery, and reliquary objects within the arts market.

The AGO is home to nearly 100 English portrait miniatures in its Thomson Collection of European Art. Dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, the works are displayed in a three-sided, jewel-box gallery on Level 1 in Gallery 110. Entering through a darkened doorway, visitors encounter a display of rare miniatures by artists such as Nicholas Hilliard and John Smart. Mostly painted in water-based pigments on vellum or ivory — along with some in oil on metal or wood panel — these works showcase masterful technique on an astonishingly small scale.

On Wednesday, February 4 at the AGO, art historian and portrait miniature specialist Emma Rutherford will present a talk exploring this remarkable collection of nearly one hundred English miniature paintings at the AGO. Through the lens of these intimate works, Rutherford traces the history of miniature painting and shows how they offer insight into artmaking, politics, and personal relationships across centuries. READ MORE in this week’s Foyer, linked HERE.