Isaac Oliver
(circa 1565-1617), Miniature painterSitter in 5 portraits
Artist associated with 73 portraits
Oliver was born in Rouen and came to England with his family as a Huguenot refugee. He learnt the art of miniature painting from Nicholas Hilliard but unlike Hilliard, and as a result of his understanding of continental art, he used light and shade (chiaroscuro) to develop a softer, more illusionistic style. Oliver was appointed miniaturist to Anne of Denmark, wife of James I, and later to their eldest son Henry, Prince of Wales.
More on Isaac Oliver: Elizabethan Treasures: Miniatures by Hilliard & Oliver exhibition
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