Mid-19th Century Pair of Miniature Portrait Paintings of Napoleon & Josephine

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Mid 19th-century hand painted faux ivory portrait miniature, depicting emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Josephine in carved faux ivory frame, … Read more Mid 19th-century hand painted faux ivory portrait miniature, depicting emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Josephine in carved faux ivory frame, signed by the artist.
Appreciated for their small scale and delicate artistry, miniature portraits and landscape paintings have been popular in Europe since the 17th century, thought to originate from the tradition of illuminated manuscripts. Hand-painted on celluloid in the mid 19th century, this pair of companion miniature portraits depicts Napoleon and Josephine. The oval portraits are set behind domed glass and encased within rectangular frames veneered with imitation ivory. Each painting comes signed and titled on the reverse. Minor losses to faux-tortoiseshell veneer. See less