Portrait miniatures were cherished possessions brought to our early colonies by those who emigrated from Europe where the art form originated. Prior to photography, miniatures made it possible to wear or carry the image of a loved one.

Small portraits were mounted in jewelry, such as pendants and brooches, or palm-sized frames which were stored in cabinets in the home as keepsakes for personal viewing. 

Works commemorated births, courtships, marriages, love affairs, military service, and death. Small images were carried off to war by men in service of their country and worn at home by those he left behind. After a death, it may have been all the family had as a remembrance of a loved one.