The Tansey Miniatures Foundation

The Miniature About the Artist

The Tansey Miniatures Foundation

DE
The Miniature About the Artist

Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (?)

Rosalba Carriera

The gentleman represented in this miniature – possibly Friedrich, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1717-1785)1 – is about twenty years old and wears a red ermine cape over his armour. His casual posture with his arm resting on his hip, and his soft facial expression, are more suitable for a young dandy than a duke posing in full armour. The light expression of the portrait as well as its soft colours and blurred contours emphasise the fact that during the rococo period the baroque court strictness was gradually replaced by wit.
This miniature clearly shows characteristics of the portrait style. Furthermore, the cool colouring with its soft grey-blue shades, which emphasises the now-bleached colour of the ermine cape and of the sitter’s face, plus the broad painting style in the background and clothing and the use of ivory as the support, correspond to the style of Rosalba Carriera. In fact, the miniaturist had the opportunity to study original paintings by the Venetian at the Schwerin court, as the dukes of Mecklenburg had themselves portrayed by her several times. Duke Carl Leopold of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was so enthusiastic about Carriera’s talent that he purchased several of her miniatures.2
B. P.

1 We are grateful to a gentleman who wishes not to be named and to Kristina Hegner, Staatliches Museum Schwerin, for their support in identifying the sitter. We also sincerely thank Mr Neil Jeffares for his research.
2 A group of miniatures by Rosalba Carriera, which like this miniature was in the possession of Ludwigslust Castle, was sold at Christie’s in Geneva on November 30, 1982. All of them have the same kind of tortoiseshell frame with an integrated pendant loop.