George Howard (1773–1848), Lord Morpeth

Art Historical Context

This delicate miniature portrait captures George Howard, later known as Lord Morpeth and the 6th Earl of Carlisle, as a boy. Painted on ivory in an oval format measuring just 2 by 1 5/8 inches, the work exemplifies the intimate scale of eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century portrait miniatures. Such pieces were often created as personal keepsakes, exchanged among family members or close friends to preserve a likeness during times of separation. Richard Collins, the artist, worked within the refined tradition of British miniature painting, where the luminous surface of ivory allowed for fin...