Object Description
Enamel; associated gold frame.
The present miniature sits happily within the oeuvre of Christian Friedrich Zincke, a German-born miniaturist who moved to England in 1706. He is known for his enamel miniatures, particularly of attractive young women. His rendering of these women is often delicate, and highlights their natural beauty. In the present example, neither the unknown sitter’s simple hairstyle or dress are distracting from the rest of her appearance, but are still beautiful in their own right.
Zincke had come to England under the invitation of Charles Boit, a Swedish enamellist. Once in England, he was able to gain a large and important client base, which eventually led him to gain connections with the royal family. In 1732 he was made the Cabinet Painter to Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707-1751). This appointment resulted in a large collection of portrait miniatures, which are still in the Royal Collection today. In this example, which is not likely to be of a royal sitter, we see evidence of some of the other work that Zincke undertook in his career. Many sitters, like this lady, were not part of the Royal Family, and simply wished to have their likeness taken by a highly accomplished and popular portraitist of the time.