
Portrait Miniatures
Scottish artists were instrumental in the development of the portrait miniature in the nineteenth century, bringing technical innovation and distinctly Scottish stylistic traits of freshness and naturalism to the art form.

Princess Alice by Sir William Ross ©
Andrew Robertson trained in Edinburgh under Alexander Nasmyth and Sir Henry Raeburn before moving to London in 1801. He challenged the very premise of miniature painting, using large-scale, rectangular ivory plaques as supports to bring the art form closer to oil painting in scale and technique, and raising the status of miniature painting in the process.
Kenneth MacLeay was one of the last successful miniature painters of the nineteenth century. His career suffered as a result of the rival art form of photography, but was revived after his work came to the attention of Queen Victoria in 1864.
Andrew Robertson (1777-1845)
Princess Elizabeth (1770-1840)
Andrew Robertson (1777-1845)
Princess Sophia (1777-1848)
Sir William Ross (1794-1860)
Queen Victoria (1819-1901)
Sir William Ross (1794-1860)
Victoria, Princess Royal (1840-1901)
Sir William Ross (1794-1860)
Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (1841-1910), later Edward VII
Sir William Ross (1794-1860)
Princess Alice (1843-1878), later Grand Duchess of Hesse
Sir William Ross (1794-1860)
Prince Alfred (1844-1900), later Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Robert Thorburn (1818-85)
Prince Albert (1819-1861)
Robert Thorburn (1818-85)
Charlotte Anne, Duchess of Buccleuch (1811-1895) and her daughter Lady Victoria Scott (1844-1938)
Kenneth Macleay (1802-78)