Published in conjunction with the exhibition Tiny Treasures: The Magic of Miniatures, organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, from July 1, 2023, to February 18, 2024. Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-143) and index.
Contents:
What makes a miniature? -- When small is powerful -- The miniature at home -- Miniature worlds observed -- Small size, big style -- Why miniatures matter.
Summary:
"Intricate and appealing, curious and uncanny, miniature works of art exert surprising power. Over thousands of years and across cultures, artists and artisans have created small objects for many purposes: tiny gold amulets of ancient Egyptian gods to protect the wearer, portable European medieval shrines made of precious materials to hold the relics of saints, English and American miniature painted portraits to keep loved ones close, Dutch dollhouse furnishings to display the maker's skill and the owner's social standing, pocket-sized tools and globes from the age of exploration, Japanese netsuke carved in the shape of auspicious animals, and everyday objects transformed into statement jewelry by contemporary makers. Tiny Treasures looks closely at more than 75 fascinating miniature objects from across the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, exploring their meaning and purpose along with their often dazzling workmanship, and showing that the human impulse to create on a small scale can produce compelling masterpieces."--back cover.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.