Chats on Old Miniatures — Context and Discussion

Conversational Framing and Direct Address

Foster's preface establishes a persona of the genial expert. He thanks his publishers for including the book in a "certain well-known series" and acknowledges Miss E. M. Foster's help in proofreading. Throughout the excerpts, he uses phrases like "I may mention" and "I have only to add one word." This conversational register extends to his descriptions: he calls a Petitot portrait of Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans, "perhaps the most beautiful of all his works." Such evaluative language is typical of Foster's approach; he does not merely describe but judges, guiding the reader's taste. The effect is that of a guided tour through a private collection, with Foster as the loquacious host.

Precision in Technical and Material Details

Foster's descriptions are grounded in material specifics. He notes that Petitot "generally used plates of gold or silver, seldom copper" for his enamels, and that the borders of wreaths of enamelled flowers were the work of Jules Legarré, goldsmith to the King. He also records that Bruckmann, a Swede, supplied enamel portraits "by the dozen" to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These details are not mere trivia; they anchor Foster's judgments in observable fact. When discussing Lawrence Crosse, he remarks on his "fondness for blue drapery—so well shown in the Duke of Portland's Collection." The specificity of the collection and the colour choice gives the observation weight.

Anecdotal Evidence and Provenance

Foster frequently enlivens his text with anecdotes of provenance. He quotes Horace Walpole on a Charles I miniature: "I have a fine head of Charles I., for which he probably sat, as it is not like any I have seen by Van Dyck." He then traces the miniature's journey from Petitot's son, a major in the British service, to the Burdett-Coutts Collection. Such stories do more than authenticate; they create a sense of historical continuity. Foster also mentions that the portrait of Cardinal Richelieu is mounted in a "lovely chased gold and jasper snuff-box, which once belonged to the King of Saxony." These details appeal to the collector's instinct for pedigree and rarity.

Characterisation of Artists Through Style and Habit

Foster characterises artists by their working methods and personal quirks. Of Jean Etienne Liotard, he writes that he was "of somewhat irregular habits and uncertain methods of work," known in Paris as "le Turc" because "Oriental costumes had a fascination for him." He cites Walpole's opinion that Liotard's "likenesses were as exact as possible." For Cosway, Smart, and Humphrey, he notes their professional milestones: Cosway elected Royal Academician in 1773, Humphrey setting out for Italy with Romney, Smart made Vice-President of the Incorporated Society of Artists. These biographical markers serve as shorthand for their artistic standing, allowing Foster to build a hierarchy of reputation without lengthy analysis.

Foster's chatty yet precise style rewards readers who attend to his offhand remarks and provenance stories. His judgments are always tied to specific works, collections, or technical details, making the book a useful companion for examining miniatures in person. The reader is encouraged to look for the material clues Foster highlights: the metal support, the border work, the colour palette. His voice, though of its time, remains a clear guide to the connoisseur's eye.

That reminded me of my grandfather’s long afternoons, turning pages of his old art books, pausing on each tiny face. He loved how Foster made a painter’s life feel like a conversation. There was a similar quiet devotion in those Scottish pages, where faith’s small details became enduring portraits of courage. Annals of the persecution in Scotland — Background and Themes held that same patient reverence, a still hush over human endurance.