The secret world of portrait miniatures

About this episode

This episode explores the intimate world of portrait miniatures and their significance in personal history.

Tiny enough to wear around your neck, yet big enough to hold secrets, memories and devotion: portrait miniatures give us an intimate insight into the private lives of the past. In this episode, Amy Matthews is joined by curators Lydia Miller and Peter Moore to explore remarkable stories from this pre-photography phenomenon and delve into English Heritage’s special collections. From beaver teeth used to prepare ivory painting surfaces to secret eye miniatures exchanged between lovers, these intricate artworks reveal a hidden world of affection, remembrance and personal identity. They could be worn as jewellery, tucked into cabinets or carried close to the heart, and today they give us a glimpse into personal stories we don’t see in grand public portraits. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join English Heritage: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/⁠ Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.* Support our work: ⁠https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/⁠ The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and…

People in this episode

Host: Amy Matthews

Guests: Lydia Miller, Peter Moore

Topics covered

• portrait miniatures
• history
• art
• personal identity
• English Heritage collections

Keywords

• portrait miniatures
• art history
• English Heritage
• personal stories
• jewelry

Sponsors

English Heritage

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: English Heritage, English Heritage Trust

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