Portrait of Catherine Dormer
c. 1782
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
4.5 × 3.5 cm (1 3/4 × 1 3/8 in.)
Classification
miniature painting
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
9742
Art Historical Context
This delicate miniature portrait of Catherine Dormer, painted around 1782 by Horace Hone, exemplifies the intimate art form popular in 18th-century Europe. Measuring just 4.5 by 3.5 centimeters, the work is executed in watercolor on ivory, a medium prized for its smooth surface that allowed artists to achieve luminous skin tones and intricate details. Such tiny portraits were often worn as jewelry or kept in private cases, serving as personal mementos rather than grand public statements. Miniature painting flourished during this period as a refined craft that blended technical precision with ...