Above: Hilliard's Unknown Man 1583 (left) and bust of King Phillip II 1580 (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien)
I love this portrait miniature and have been trying to identify it for years. Recently I was visiting the pages of Bridgeman Images and came upon a copy of the portrait that seems to indicate the miniature depicts Spain's Philip II.
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| National Museum Stockholm unknown man 1583 by Nicholas Hilliard |
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| (left) the Stockholm Hilliard (right) portrait called Philip II from Bridgeman Images |
Word of caution: it's entirely possible the Bridgeman portrait has been misidentified as Philip II. Yet there are reasons to suspect the Hilliard miniature does depict the Spanish king, via a greatly beautified version, which was Hilliard's trademark. "Leave out the shadows," Elizabeth once warned him.
In his essay "Faces of a Favorite," Sir Roy Strong stated that mass-producing portrait miniatures for gifts was a prerogative exclusive to royalty, "an act of a sovereign." With that in mind, this miniature might present Philip II and not some "unknown nobleman" as it's now designated. The low quality of the studio copy does make it appear to be a product of mass production.
The inscription, or motto, is Italian. "Non poco da Chese medessimo dona" translates into the wittism, "He who makes a gift of himself gives not a little."
The quality of the Stockholm miniature indicates it was an important piece with a royal blue background. The museum catalogue states: "On the reverse [of the miniature] is a representation of the Crucifixion, with a costly rock-crystal mount reminiscent of the reliquaries of earlier ages."
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| Philip II of Spain after Titian photo National Portrait Gallery London |
So is it Philip? The incredible NPG portrait of Philip (above) certainly bears a strong resemblance to the miniature's sitter. I'll post some side-by-side comparisons soon.
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