Miniature

The market presence of Sarah Biffin (1784-1850), a portrait miniaturist born without hands, arms and legs, has been rising over the past few years.

A previously unrecorded family archive relating to Richard Grindall (1751-1820), an able seaman aboard Cook’s Second Voyage, surfaced for sale in London last week with spectacular results.

Self-portrait sold to National Portrait Gallery by dealer who also plans an exhibition

I refer to the letter from Stephen Ferder printed in ATG No 2529 on the puzzle of the ‘two’ miniatures by William Wood (sold at auction on January 6 and reviewed in ATG No 2527).

Estimated at just £60-100, a pair of Georgian portrait miniatures sold online for £2900 at Amersham Auctions (17.5% buyer’s premium) on January 6.

A rare work by Sarah Biffin (1784-1850), the early 19th century artist born without limbs, sold for £9000 at Sworders on December 15.

In demand at home and abroad during his lifetime, the eminent miniaturist John Smart was an international draw at a trio of sales.

A third-generation dealer, Elizabeth Fitzsimmons specialises in Old Master portraiture and has recently launched her first website selling portraits from the 16th-20th centuries.

Richard Miller (1947-2018) was a man with many interests and a good eye.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

A week after Kinghams’ (23% buyer’s premium) inaugural Moreton-in-Marsh sale of British art pottery, the new Cotswolds rooms enjoyed a big hit in miniature – more specifically this portrait by one of Britain’s greatest miniaturists: John Smart (1743-1811).

Show focuses on how latest technology and techniques can reassess portraits and paintings.

A miniature by Henry Bone (1755-1834) depicting the American artist Benjamin West (1738-1820) was among the notable lots at the recent Hansons sale.

This 4 x 3in (10 x 8cm) oil on ivory miniature, offered by Lawrences (20% buyer’s premium) of Bletchingley, is attributed to the English miniature painter William Mineard Bennett (1778-1858).

This month, London Art Week (LAW) uses the digital platform it launched over the summer to run Art History in Focus. The event combines online discourse with exhibitions and objects on offer in galleries (and on gallery websites), putting the spotlight on two major themes: women artists and framing.

Indian miniatures are a common sight at UK auctions. With a keen, dedicated and often very knowledgeable collecting base, they remain a somewhat independent but active sub-set of the art market.

An intriguing Indian miniature portrait drew strenuous competition against an estimate of just £30-50 at Clarke’s (18% buyer’s premium) in Shaftesbury, Dorset.