Miniature Portraits in Rural America
Miniature portraits have been around since the 16th century in Europe. Essentially, they were the precursor of the photograph. Loved ones carried them with them when they traveled to remind them of their loves. Courts presented miniatures of the monarch to important people. These early miniatures were painted on vellum or stretched chicken skin (yes, really), and eventually on ivory. In America, miniatures were painted of important people, or of people who could afford them