19th century Spanish miniature

19th century English miniature.
"Portrait of a gentleman.
Watercolour on vellum
Frame with floral reliefs.
Size: 5 x 4 cm; 10.7 x 9.5 cm (frame).
The painting of miniatures, especially portraits, developed in Europe from the 16th century onwards. They were mainly paintings that were embedded in objects such as medallions, table clocks or small boxes. They were executed in a wide variety of techniques, such as oil on copper, pewter or ivory, gouaches on parchment or card and, from the 18th century, watercolour on ivory. This delicate art was gradually lost from the second half of the 19th century, in parallel with the development of photography.