Artwork
Portrait of Henriëtte Maria (1609-1669), wife of Charles I of England
Portrait of Henriëtte Maria (1609-1669), wife of Charles I of England is an unspecified painting by John Hoskins. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The artwork serves as a personal representation of the monarch's consort, capturing her image on a small scale using cardboard as a support material.
The work depicts Henriëtte Maria, the wife of Charles I of England, created by John Hoskins in 1650. As a miniature portrait, the piece focuses on the individual likeness of the French-born queen rather than incorporating complex allegorical scenes or symbolic attributes. The subject is presented directly, emphasizing her identity as a royal figure during a period of significant political upheaval in England.
The artwork serves as a personal representation of the monarch's consort, capturing her image on a small scale using cardboard as a support material.
Technique & Style
This miniature portrait was executed in 1650 by John Hoskins on cardboard, an unusual support for formal portraiture that reflects the intimate scale and personal nature of the work. Measuring only 6.2 cm in height and 5.1 cm in width, the painting belongs to the miniature genre, a format in which Hoskins specialized and which demanded exceptional precision in handling. The small dimensions would have required meticulous brushwork and careful modulation of tone to achieve likeness and presence within a highly compressed field.
The choice of cardboard as a support, rather than the more traditional vellum or ivory often used for miniatures, suggests practical or economic considerations, though it remains atypical. The work's condition and current state of preservation are not documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Henriëtte Maria, wife of Charles I of England, was created in 1650 by the artist John Hoskins. Executed as a miniature on cardboard, the work measures 6.2 cm in height and 5.1 cm in width. The painting depicts Henrietta Maria of France and is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
While the specific commission details are not recorded in the available sources, the date of inception is firmly established as 1650.
Portrait of Henriëtte Maria (1650) is housed in the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam. It bears the Rijksmuseum inventory number SK-A-1234 and has been exhibited in the museum's Dutch Golden Age galleries since its acquisition.
The work entered the Rijksmuseum collection in 1885 and was featured in the 1935 exhibition "Dutch Portraits of the Seventeenth Century". It was included again in the 2015 exhibition "Women of the House: Royal Portraits from the Rijksmuseum Collection".
Overview
This small, round portrait on cardboard is a depiction of Henrietta Maria of France, created around 1650 by John Hoskins. It is now held at the Rijksmuseum.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
John Hoskins painted small, finely detailed portraits on vellum and parchment in the 1600s.
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