Unknown

Charles I, 1600 - 1649. Reigned 1625 - 1649

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About this artwork

Immediately following Charles's death many hundreds of these small miniatures, featuring a portrait of the King, were made to be distributed to supporters of the royal family. They were often painted in watercolour or enamel and set into jewellery such as pendants and rings, or hidden under lids of boxes. While the quality of these portrait miniatures is often poor, their value lies in their tangible link to the individuals who followed the Royalist cause. This tiny object would have been worn close to the body, probably hidden from sight, as it symbolised loyalty to the Stuarts, which in a period where Britain was under government rule, was a dangerous allegiance.

Updated before 2020

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