Hilliard, Nicholas (1547-1619), was the first great English miniature portrait painter. He was goldsmith, carver, and portrait painter to Queen Elizabeth I, and he held a similar appointment under King James I. For James, he embossed gold medals. Hilliard was born in Exeter, where he trained as a goldsmith. He began painting miniatures at the age of 13. His subjects included many great Elizabethan figures, including the queen, the explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, the sea captain Sir Francis Drake, and the author Sir Philip Sidney. Hilliard’s miniatures were known for their detail and elegance and their skill in capturing the personality of the subject. Hilliard also wrote an informative essay on the art of miniature painting called The Art of Limning.
