probably Isaac Oliver
Miniature
May one see it?
Yes, receiving visitors
Victoria and Albert Museum
RoomBritish Galleries, Room 56, The Djanogly GalleryLondon, United Kingdom
On public display.
- Checked
- 7 days ago
- In this state since
- Sep 25, 2026
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the painting
Object Type
After the childless Elizabeth I (ruled 1558-1603), James I (ruled 1603-1625) offered the nation a hopeful dynastic future. He had a young family: Prince Henry (1594-1612), who was his heir, Prince Charles (1600-1649) and Princess Elizabeth (1596-1662). James embraced portraiture as a way to promote the new Stuart dynasty. During this reign, there was a massive proliferation of miniature portraits of members of the Royal Family.
People
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Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I of England, married Frederick V, Elector Palatine of the Rhine (1596-1632), in 1613. The couple became King and Queen of Bohemia in 1619, but were exiled in 1621. They became a causecélèbre in Europe. Elizabeth used miniatures as propaganda weapons, to keep the couple in the minds and hearts of their supporters. She lived in exile mostly in The Hague, The Netherlands. At her court she employed English miniaturists such as Alexander Cooper (around 1609-?1658). The couple's grandson became George I of England (ruled 1714-1727), the first of the Hanoverian dynasty.
This portrait of Princess Elizabeth is a version of a miniature painted to celebrate her marriage to Frederick in 1613. All the known versions of this miniature are by Isaac Oliver (born about 1558, died 1617), or follow his style. But Nicholas Hilliard (possibly born in 1547, died 1619) was miniature painter to Elizabeth's father James I. It is therefore possible that the original was by Hilliard.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- P.152-1910
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 7 days ago
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
