0Stunning enamel portrait miniatures from the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

First produced in the early 17th century, enamel portrait miniatures offer a window into the social and political world in which they were made, a world before photography. This book includes a variety of famous faces, from political figures such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin to society beauties like Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and royalty, including Charles II, Mary Queen of Scots, and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Making these expressive miniatures required not just artistry: The science involved was both laborious and complicated. Illustrated with stunning photography of some
50 objects, this new book shows in detail the almost invisible brushwork and fascinating techniques involved in creating these pieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum's superlative Gilbert Collection.