The Tudor period began with reign of Henry VII (b. 1457, r. 1485–1509), and ended with Elizabeth I (b. 1533, r. 1558–1603). The sovereigns in between included Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I. While each had a different approach to rule and religion, they all sought the indelible power that portraiture provided to assert and proclaim their rule. Notable examples from this era include miniatures by the goldsmith and miniature painter Nicholas Hilliard (1547–1619) and his pupil Isaac Oliver (ca. 1565–1617), whose styles were completely different. Hilliard maintained a two-dimensional, linear tradition, whereas Oliver’s miniatures reflect his exposure to influences from Antwerp and Italy, resulting in a soft, romantic style, sometimes tinged with melancholy, wholly in keeping with the spirit of the late Elizabethan and Jacobean eras (1603–1625).
doi: 10.37764/8322.8.1101