What if we could give a part of oneself, in some miniature
form, to the one we love and adore without revealing our identify to the rest
of the world? What if that miniature form is something you can wear everyday
like a ring, pendant, brooch or a charm? Something that remains close to you,
that you wear, hold it to your bosom and kiss at will. That is what the lovers
in the late 18 century to early 19 century did. Since Valentine’s Day is
perfect for such a theme, I am sharing with you a tiny tale of romance,
intrigue, saccharine days and the lovelorn aftermath. However, the story mainly
is about the ornament that held the affection decades in the Georgian era
though.
Artwork : Alexis Zambrano
lovers eyes art print illustration
Image: KatieConsiders.com
Prince wooing a
commoner – A Cinderella-like tale
It is said to have started when Prince of Wales, love struck,
relentlessly wooed Mrs. Maria Fitzherbert to marry him which was preposterous
at the time considering that she was twice- widowed and a Catholic while Prince
of Wales who later went on the become King George IV was a Royal Anglican. To
escape from his wooing, Maria even moved to France but the Prince, like any
hot-blooded-star-struck-lover, wouldn’t give up, sending gifts and even making
a suicide attempt. He then commissioned Richard Cosway, a miniaturist, to paint
his eye and sent it to her as a token of love along with a marriage proposal. The
gift to her astonishment was an intent “eye” painted for Maria’s eye alone
making it the subject of her gaze while she herself became the subject of the
Prince’s gaze. It is an intimate gesture – the gaze. Mrs. Maria Fitzherbert
invariably couldn’t resist and succumbed to the wooing. Later he presented her
with another eye miniature and it was said that she returned in kind. They
married against all odds only to later move apart due to the clutching
circumstances of the time shortly after their union. Their marriage was
declared illegal and the Prince remarried his cousin, Catherine or a German
Princess of which I am not sure. Much ado about nothing was what was left, I
guess!
Convex glass backing with Prince of Wales hair plumes-Dr David Skier Collection
Image: VanityFair.com
Eyes catch Fire
When this story wafted into the country, the rich modelled
their love following the Prince’s suit. There was a surge of such tokens being
exchanged as rings, brooches, pendants, toothpick cases, charms etc. It
apparently became fashionable. The painting or the eye miniature itself was no
larger than the nail of the pinky finger (some from a few millimeters to around
two centimeters) and it was encrusted in rubies, pearls, garnets, turquoise, diamond
depending on the wealth of the lover and of course the sentiment. It sometimes
even contained a lock of hair. These romantic keepsakes were in vogue from
1780s to 1820s when they would bestow it upon their paramours keeping their
identity a secret from the inquisitive eyes. However, ironically, declaring
that they were having an affair leaving the rest of the world to question and
wonder.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Eye Miniatures or the “Lover’s
Eyes”
The term “Lover’s Eyes”
was coined by a New York based antique collector, Edith Weber. It is estimated that only around a 1000 exists
today. They were painted in watercolour or gouache on ivory.
“Treasuring the Gaze:
Intimate Vision in Late Eighteenth-Century Eye Miniatures” by Hanneke Grootenboer provides new insights into
the art of miniature painting and the genre of portraiture.
Image: HauteMacabre,com
Aside
During the reign of Queen Victoria the painted eye miniature gradually
took a different connotation becoming the memorabilia of the dear departed. The
pearls surrounding it indicated the tears. The coral warded off the evil,
garnets symbolized friendship, diamond signified the wealth, obviously. Sir
Charles Ross, the Royal Miniaturist, was commissioned to make such objects of
affection during her era of reign.
Mourning motif
Image: VanityFair.com
Eye Miniature, early 19th century-Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Today
Dr. David Skier is an eye surgeon from Birmingham who was so
fascinated by these miniatures that along with his wife, Nan Skier, started
collecting “Lover’s Eyes”. They held an exhibition of their unique collection
of around 100 pieces, one of the largest collections, at the Birmingham Museum
of Art in Alabama in 2012.
Dr. David Skier Collection, Birmingham Museum of Art
Image: VanityFair.com
Contemporary Artists
Fee Greening, Lorraine Loots,
Mab Graves, Celeste
Mogador, Sarah Hendler, Alexis Zambrano etc. are some
of the known contemporary artists who have explored the eye miniatures.
Personal Statement
Here’ my version of eye miniatures of my daughter and my
beloved.
My daughter's eye -Right eye
Beloved-right eye
What do you think of the “Lover’s Eyes”? Would you be interested
in such a keepsake, a token of love?
If your interest is piqued and if you would like to own/gift
such a painted memorabilia do send me an email (mail.huesnshades@gmail.com) with a picture of your beloved’s
(left/right) eye and I shall message you the terms.
Hope you enjoyed this post. Do let me know your thoughts about this post in
the comments.
