Studio: international art (71.1917)

The Beauchamp Miniatures at the Victoria and Albert Museum

a gentleman unknown. by isaac oliver
(dated 1582)

collection is that by John Hoskins of a lady
unknown, called Mary Sidney. The memory of
Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke, was so
sweet to the generation that followed her that
every other beautiful miniature was said to be
a portrait of her. It is difficult to refrain from
quoting for the thousandth time " Underneath
this sable hearse," etc., so fragrantly do Ben
Jonson's exquisite lines preserve her memory.

.But in miniatures there are as many Arabella
Stuarts as there are Mary Sidneys, and I will

lady elizabeth clifford. artist unknown

86

leave to others the work of establishing the
identity of these famous sitters, hoping that
they can still show the most beautiful of all
to be Mary Sidney. The miniature by Hoskins
referred to is smooth in style. The background
is faded blue. The Hilliard influence is obvious.
These blue backgrounds turn to indigo in the
age of Cooper, by which time artists seem to
have lost the nerve to look steadily on pure
colour even in a small space. The primary
colour background vanished with the decorative
manner of drawing embroidered costume. The
charm of that manner still lingers in several

sir henry blount (1608-1682). by
nicholas dixon

miniatures signed by Hoskins, but Hoskins has
two manners, or there are two miniaturists of
the same name, the elder at his best in the
Mary Sidney, the younger in a portrait of
Charles I, not here reproduced because so small
and so considerably faded.

I regret that time has not permitted me to sift
all the evidence that bears on this question of
whether there were one or two miniaturists by
the name of Hoskins. After studying the
Buccleuch and the Beauchamp miniatures
I am driven to the conclusion that there must
have been two. If this was not so, then the
one Hoskins must have altogether changed his
style in the course of his career; there can be
no other explanation of the Mary Sidney and