A History of English Portrait Miniatures Told Through the Thomson Collection
4 February 2026
Join specialist Emma Rutherford to learn about one of the AGO's treasured special collections: the nearly one hundred English miniature painted portraits in the Thomson Collection. These remarkable jewel-sized paintings first became popular at the Tudor court in England and artists continued to produce them well into the 1900s. They provide a precious window into art making, politics, and personal relationships across hundreds of years. Ken Thomson assembled a remarkable collection of these miniatures which he gifted to the AGO.
Emma Rutherford is one of a handful of art historians in the world who specializes in portrait miniatures. She began her career working with the British national collection of miniatures at the Victoria and Albert Museum before working at auction houses Bonhams and Phillips. She then became an independent consultant working closely with Philip Mould & Co. and making some major discoveries, including the earliest Black subject painted in miniature, the only signed work by Mary Queen of Scot’s favourite artist Henri Decourt and the Lost Portrait of Charles Dickens. In 2023 she set up The Limner Company, where she continues to consult for institutions and galleries but also sells antique portrait miniatures.
Emma Rutherford is one of a handful of art historians in the world who specializes in portrait miniatures. She began her career working with the British national collection of miniatures at the Victoria and Albert Museum before working at auction houses Bonhams and Phillips. She then became an independent consultant working closely with Philip Mould & Co. and making some major discoveries, including the earliest Black subject painted in miniature, the only signed work by Mary Queen of Scot’s favourite artist Henri Decourt and the Lost Portrait of Charles Dickens. In 2023 she set up The Limner Company, where she continues to consult for institutions and galleries but also sells antique portrait miniatures.
