By Chelsea Reed
The fine art of miniature portraits has been a favorite since medieval times. In those days people carried pocket-sized portraits of loved ones to show off to mutual, much like we would have photos in our wallets or smartphones today. Though photography now exists, the miniature portrait scene is alive and well. These finely painted micro-sized details create exquisite art! We’ll share with you some wonderful examples of miniature portraits.
This hallmark example of miniature portraiture focuses on the girl’s face with minimal distractions, while the foreground details tell us a story about the person. In this case the flower baskets, brick wall, and clothing reveal that the girl makes a modest living as a street flower seller.
In contrast this type of portrait is more modern, but we love its sense of emotion. The subject is clearly not happy about his predicament, but the play of light suggests it’s probably not as bad as he thinks. Impressionism has an inexplicable way of transforming even a time out into something beautiful.
Intimacy, innocence, and drama all intertwine in this graceful oil painting. Here, the artist blends the traditional rule of thirds with the more modern perspective of a side shot. Combined with the ballerina’s red hair, all of these elements do an excellent job at drawing natural engagement from the viewer.
It’s not everyday you get to see a portrait of a tomb! This fascinating oil painting captures the music writer Frederic Chopin’s elaborate tomb sculpture in Paris, France. The French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Clésinger carved its real-life form into Euterpe, the Muse of Music.
This little future cowgirl is ready to gallop into your heart! We love the adorable storytelling in this pastel portrait. It’s easy to tell who she wants to be when she grows up by the way she holds her stuffed animal.
One glance at this watercolor portrait takes the viewer back in time to an intimate moment on a farm. A mother and daughter hold the newest member in their flock of sheep bundled in a beautiful blue blanket, which is not only cute, but a sign of a healthy and bright future.
The perspective from behind is unusual for a portrait, but the detour definitely makes up for it. Here, we see an elderly couple’s lasting fidelity. They may have a few more wrinkles than yesteryear, but their love is as eternal as the ocean view ahead of them.
See stunning miniature portraits, landscapes and more in Seaside Art Gallery’s International Miniature Art Show, which is held once each year. You can also see the complete Miniature Art Collection year round. Be sure to check them out now before they’re gone!
Chelsea Reed is a copywriter who writes winning content, articles, blogs, and websites from her base in North Carolina. She might not be building sandcastles or swashbuckling with pirates these days, but the Outer Banks beaches continue to keep her young at heart.
