Miniature painting in the Nationalmuseum: a world-class collection

Abstract

The Nationalmuseum in Stockholm is home to the world's largest collection of miniature paintings, 5,700 in all. The majority of them are portrait miniatures, by Swedish and other European artists from the 16th century down to the middle of the 20th. The collection is remarkable not only for its size, but just as much for its breadth and depth. No other holding is as representative of miniature painting across Europe. Despite this, the collection has remained unknown to many outside specialst circles. This volume provides, for the first time, a comprehensive introduction to the Museum's large holding of miniatures, a combined guide and history written by Magnus Olausson, Director of Collections. At the same time, it offers a survey of the history of miniature painting, with examples drawn exclusively from the Nationalmuseum. A good deal of space is devoted both to the nations of major significance for this art form and to individual miniaturists, as well as to aspects of the subject such as the roles of artist and patron, the uses and functions of miniatures, and materials and techniques. The last of these sections is written by miniatures conservator Cecilia Rönnerstam. The book contains over 700 colour illustrations.

Contents

What is a miniature? -- Aspects of miniature painting --The roles of artist and partron -- Manuals, collecting and historiography -- France -- England, Great Britain, Ireland -- Denmark --Sweden -- The German-speaking lands.