A Man with the Initials RH
Medium
Card
Dimensions
Oval, 2 x 1 3/8 in. (51 x 36 mm)
Classification
Miniatures
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Moses Lazarus Collection, Gift of Josephine and Sarah Lazarus, in memory of their father, 1888–95
Accession Number
95.14.96
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled among the treasures of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Paintings department is *A Man with the Initial RH*, a delicate oval miniature portrait by an anonymous British painter. Measuring just 2 x 1⅜ inches (51 x 36 mm), this intimate work on card captures the likeness of a man identified only by his initials,. Its diminutive scale and classification as a miniature evoke the personal, wearable art form cherished in Britain from the Tudor era through the 19th century. Miniatures like this one were prized for their portability—often housed in lockets, brooches, or cases to keep ...