DOI issue:
Nr. 160 (June 1910)
DOI article:O'Conor, Norreys Jephson: Portrait miniatures by Miss Eulabee Dix
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19866#0444
Miniatures by Miss Dix
miniature painting as distinct from portrait paint- by much the same spirit ? The analogy is closer in
ing "in the large"—that the miniature occupies in medieval times, but can it be denied that it still ex-
relation to painting in general a position somewhat ists? Miniature painting is, therefore, in its essence
analogous to that of the sonnet in relation to poetry, a survival of a purely medieval art, and, like paint-
The miniature must attract the eye at a glance, and ing in oils, has undergone many changes in the lapse
from then on lead it to discover new and ever newer of time; but is it not more what it was in the Middle
beauties. Ages than any other form of art ? Perhaps the very
The portrait in oils, Miss Dix believes, is part of neglect of miniature painting in recent years is a
a decorative scheme, rather than a separate and cause of this.
highly finished piece of work, like the miniature. It has been said that Miss Dix's miniatures pos-
There is a certain kinship between the hand worker sess qualities which would make the artist success-
in gold and precious stones and the painter of por- ful as a painter "in the large" ; but this is, I think, a
trait miniatures; each has a limited space to fill wrong conception of Miss Dix's art. It is like say-
with beautiful work which will attract the eye at ing that a successful writer of sonnets would have
first glance and cause ever-increasing pleasure upon excelled in writing an epic. The qualities needed
closer scrutiny. Were not the monk, who labored by a painter in oils and on ivory are essentially dif-
devoutly and patiently over the ornamentation of a ferent; a successful miniature is successful because
beautiful manuscript with the earliest miniatures, it has not the qualities that will make it a great oil
and the goldsmith of the Middle Ages, who worked painting. Imagine taking a monk of the Middle
with no less pleasure and patient endeavor in the Ages, who had been engaged in manuscript illu-
embellishment of a golden cup or coffer, animated mination, putting a brush in his hands and asking
him to paint a portrait "in
the large." What, think you,
would have been the result
in most cases? The combi-
nation of the qualities neces-
sary in' a portrait and minia-
ture painter is rare in the
same person; when we have
it we have a Holbein.
Miniature painting is a sur-
vival of a medieval art, and
successful because it does
not possess the qualities of
painting "in the large."
The Corcoran Gallery of
Art, at Washington, an-
nounces its third biennial
exhibition of contemporary
American oil painting. It
will be open to the public on
December 13, 1910, and will
close on January 22, 1911.
Four prizes, offered by the
Hon. William A. Clark, will
be awarded. The first car-
ries a gold medal and $2,000,
the second a silver medal and
Si,500, the third a bronze
medal and Si,000, and the
fourth an honorable mention
and S500. F. D. Millet is
the sisters BY mss EULABEE DIX tne chairman of the jury.
XCVII
miniature painting as distinct from portrait paint- by much the same spirit ? The analogy is closer in
ing "in the large"—that the miniature occupies in medieval times, but can it be denied that it still ex-
relation to painting in general a position somewhat ists? Miniature painting is, therefore, in its essence
analogous to that of the sonnet in relation to poetry, a survival of a purely medieval art, and, like paint-
The miniature must attract the eye at a glance, and ing in oils, has undergone many changes in the lapse
from then on lead it to discover new and ever newer of time; but is it not more what it was in the Middle
beauties. Ages than any other form of art ? Perhaps the very
The portrait in oils, Miss Dix believes, is part of neglect of miniature painting in recent years is a
a decorative scheme, rather than a separate and cause of this.
highly finished piece of work, like the miniature. It has been said that Miss Dix's miniatures pos-
There is a certain kinship between the hand worker sess qualities which would make the artist success-
in gold and precious stones and the painter of por- ful as a painter "in the large" ; but this is, I think, a
trait miniatures; each has a limited space to fill wrong conception of Miss Dix's art. It is like say-
with beautiful work which will attract the eye at ing that a successful writer of sonnets would have
first glance and cause ever-increasing pleasure upon excelled in writing an epic. The qualities needed
closer scrutiny. Were not the monk, who labored by a painter in oils and on ivory are essentially dif-
devoutly and patiently over the ornamentation of a ferent; a successful miniature is successful because
beautiful manuscript with the earliest miniatures, it has not the qualities that will make it a great oil
and the goldsmith of the Middle Ages, who worked painting. Imagine taking a monk of the Middle
with no less pleasure and patient endeavor in the Ages, who had been engaged in manuscript illu-
embellishment of a golden cup or coffer, animated mination, putting a brush in his hands and asking
him to paint a portrait "in
the large." What, think you,
would have been the result
in most cases? The combi-
nation of the qualities neces-
sary in' a portrait and minia-
ture painter is rare in the
same person; when we have
it we have a Holbein.
Miniature painting is a sur-
vival of a medieval art, and
successful because it does
not possess the qualities of
painting "in the large."
The Corcoran Gallery of
Art, at Washington, an-
nounces its third biennial
exhibition of contemporary
American oil painting. It
will be open to the public on
December 13, 1910, and will
close on January 22, 1911.
Four prizes, offered by the
Hon. William A. Clark, will
be awarded. The first car-
ries a gold medal and $2,000,
the second a silver medal and
Si,500, the third a bronze
medal and Si,000, and the
fourth an honorable mention
and S500. F. D. Millet is
the sisters BY mss EULABEE DIX tne chairman of the jury.
XCVII