The Exhibition of Miniatures at South Kensington. 169 



or crust, is ruptured by volcanic action, and eruptive currents 

 dissolve the photosphere. 



This paper is an exceedingly difficult one to give an account 

 of; but we have endeavoured to present our readers with its 

 prominent ideas. 



THE EXHIBITION OF MINIATURES AT THE SOUTH 

 KENSINGTON MUSEUM. 



BY W. M. EOSSETTI. 

 {Concluded from our last.) 



In resuming our notice of this Exhibition, necessarily very far 

 from exhaustive or complete, we come first to the 



BEITISH POETEAITS OE THE STUART PERIOD AND THE COMMON- 

 WEALTH. 



Lady Arabella Stuart was, and deserved to be, frequently 

 painted. In No. 486, by I. Oliver, she is not so pretty as in 

 some other portraits, and tends to the Mongolian type of 

 visage. — No. 1580, by the same, was painted at a somewhat 

 later period of life than most of the portraits of this beautiful 

 and ill-treated lady ; here she has a melancholy look, instead 

 of the blooming and exuberant air of the earlier likenesses, and 

 one can guess that the iron has entered into her soul. — In 

 No. 2169, by the same, " she is represented with her long 

 auburn hair hanging on her shoulders, wearing a close lace 

 falling collar or ruff, a pearl in one ear, and a black ribbon in 

 the other." — A fourth likeness, by the same, " with a jewelled 

 anchor as an ear-ring," is very charming. 



Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, by the same, " is repre- 

 sented young, wearing an open lace ruff, over which her light 

 auburn hair falls upon her shoulders and down to her waist •" 

 a very agreeable portrait. — P. Oliver also has painted a fine 

 miniature, the face not unlike that of the greater Elizabeth, 

 " Good Queen Bess." 



Lady Shirley, by Hilliard, " represented with her hair 

 falling loose on her shoulders, and wearing a wreath of oak 

 leaves," was a charming woman, who pretty evidently knew 

 that fact, without losing the grace of being natural. — I. Oliver's 

 version is also very handsome. 



Frances Howard, Countess of Essex, ascribed to P. Oliver, 

 an excellent portrait of Sir Thomas Overbury's poisoner, 

 shows us a fine woman, with an open, unembarrassed counte- 



