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Nicholas Hilliard
Nicholas Hilliard (1547 – 1619) was a celebrated English goldsmith and painter best known for his miniature portraits in the Tudor and Stuart royal courts. He was skilful in rendering delicate fabrics, fine jewellery, and expressive faces in watercolour on vellum (calfskin), and wrote an important treatise on painting called The Art of Limning (about 1600).
The V&A holds the largest collection of Hilliard's works, spanning his career and offering a fascinating glimpse into his artistic evolution and the period's culture, political intrigues, and fashions. These include stately depictions of Queen Elizabeth I and her courtiers, intimate portrayals of his wife, Alice Brandon and a charming portrayal of a 10-year-old girl.
Collection highlights
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Queen Elizabeth I, portrait miniature, by Nicholas Hilliard, about 1595 – 1600, England -
Portrait of a woman, previously thought to be Mrs Holland, by Nicholas Hilliard, 1593, England -
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, portrait miniature, by Nicholas Hilliard, about 1571 – 74, London, England -
Alice Brandon, Mrs. Hilliard, portrait miniature, by Nicholas Hilliard, 1578, France -
Design for the Great Seal depicting Elizabeth I, by Nicholas Hilliard, about 1585, London, England -
Self-portrait, aged 30, portrait miniature, by Nicholas Hilliard, 1577, France -
Unknown man clasping a hand from a cloud, portrait miniature, by Nicholas Hilliard, 1588, England -
Portrait of an unknown girl, aged 10, portrait miniature, by Nicholas Hilliard, 1609, England -
Young Man among Roses, portrait miniature, by Hilliard, Nicholas, about 1587, England -
An Unknown Man, portrait miniature, by Hilliard, Nicholas, about 1600, England
Features
Header image:
Unknown man, portrait miniature, by Nicholas Hilliard, about 1600, England. Museum no. P.5-1917. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London