The research project involving the collection of miniatures in the Nationalmuseum, one of the world’s largest public collections of portrait miniatures, was initiated in 1994.
Since then a complete inventory, registration and photographic documentation of the collection has been achieved. Parallel to this extensive research has been carried out leading to the identification of both painters and sitters. Further, the inventory has been supplemented by information about provenance, exhibitions, and bibliographic references. In 2002 a complete two-volume scholarly catalogue of the Swedish and other Scandinavian miniatures was published.
Its main authors are Magnus Olausson and Jessica Sjöholm. Three more volumes covering the remaining European miniatures are in preparation. At the same time, extensive restoration work is being undertaken. A new permanent exhibition of portrait miniatures at the Nationalmuseum opened in 2009. As part of these preparations, a conscious acquisitions policy is being pursued in order to add important new acquisitions to the collection.
Funding: The Wicander Foundation and The Public Museums Research Council.
Unknown woman, Rupert Barber, active 1736-72