Miniatures in a Minute_#004

In this miniature, a young man sits at a small table and holds a squirrel captive on a string. At first glance, this rare depiction is incomprehensible, but upon closer inspection, it expresses the deep feelings that the young man had for his beloved - the recipient of the miniature. The lively animal living in the wilderness of the treetops is compared to the depicted figure: both are “tamed” and deprived of their freedom. The string is offered to the owner of the miniature, thus expressing her power over him. The young man places his right hand on his heart, thereby emphasizing the seriousness of his feelings.

The scene is harmoniously set in an octagon and painted with great skill. The background and clothing are executed with gouache colors in a rather broad manner, only the incarnate - face and hands - allow the ivory of the painting ground to shine through. They thereby receive a realistic, waxy shimmer.

All rights reserved by The Tansey Miniatures Foundation in Celle. The video was produced by Dean Keno, commercial film and video production.