Chats on
OLD MINIATURES

BY

J. J. FOSTER, F.S.A.

AUTHOR OF "BRITISH MINIATURE PAINTERS AND THEIR WORKS," "THE
STUARTS IN 16TH, 17TH, AND 18TH CENTURY ART," "FRENCH ART
FROM WATTEAU TO PRUDHON," "CONCERNING THE TRUE
PORTRAITURE OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS,"
ETC., ETC.

WITH 117 ILLUSTRATIONS

LONDON
T. FISHER UNWIN
ADELPHI TERRACE
MCMVIII

(All rights reserved.)

MANSION.

Portrait of a Lady.

Wallace Collection.

[Pg 9]

PREFACE

Acceding to the wish of my Publishers that the following pages shouldbe included in a certain well-known series, I have termed them "Chatson Old Miniatures," but confess that I consider the title somewhat ofa misnomer, inasmuch as I have been accustomed to regard "a chat" as aconversation between two or more persons interested in a given subject;whereas in this little volume it is obvious that I have done all thetalking.

In the interval which has elapsed since my larger works appeared themost important event in connection with the subject of Miniatures is,in my opinion, the Exhibition of Works of Art of the Eighteenth Centuryat the French National Library in 1906. The concluding chapter of thisbook gives the impressions afforded by that extremely interesting andinstructive Exhibition.

In the hope that they will be of use to the general reader, I haveamplified my references to the public collections of Miniatures in thiscountry, especially[Pg 10] those at Hertford House and the Jones Collection,so rich in the works of Petitot.

Miss E. M. Foster has been of much service in revising the proofs andpassing this work through the press.

I have only to add one word, and that relates to the illustrations.I am fortunate in being able to put before my readers so large aselection of choice examples of the art of miniature painting.

This I owe to the generosity of the owners of the originals, to whom Idesire once again to express my indebtedness and thanks.

J. J. FOSTER.

London,
Easter, 1908.

[Pg 11]

CONTENTS