Abstract
dc:description.abstractThis thesis is the first in-depth study of an important seventeenth-century miniaturist, Peter Oliver. Modern scholarship often casts Peter Oliver in the shadow of his well-studied father, Isaac Oliver (c. 1565-1617). However, Peter was in fact one of the most highly paid artists at Charles I’s court. This thesis seeks to bring light to this neglected artist and situate him within his social and cultural context. The approach used in this thesis is a monograph and the work is underpinned by a catalogue raisonné of Oliver’s miniatures and drawings (Appendix I). This thesis starts with a defence of the biographical approach to art history writing, highlighting new interventions within the field which emphasise the importance of situating an artist within their social and cultural milieu. This thesis adopts a cross-cultural and transnational approach to the biography, commenting on the importance of international networks, questions of nationalism, and cultural traditions from abroad. There are five main chapters, as well as an introduction (I) and conclusion (VII). Chapters II and III focus on Oliver’s biography and his London-based community. A consideration of his networks emphasises the multi-disciplinary nature of art production in seventeenth-century London and examines the introduction of Continental visual modes into the art produced in the capital. Chapter IV discusses the portrait miniature at the early Stuart court. The prevailing narrative in scholarship is that under Charles I, art production and collecting was transformed by an increased awareness of Continental visual modes. This chapter questions the extent to which this occurred by studying both continuities within limning practices and innovations made. Chapter V examines the production of miniature copies during this period. In contrast to modern-day notions of copying as unimaginative and derivative, the chapter considers copies alongside seventeenth-century writings which reveal period attitudes. Through this lens, copies can be rooted in intellectual ideas around imitation and translation proposed by contemporary writers. Chapter VI considers Oliver’s surviving drawings. The chapter focuses on the activities at the home of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel. Oliver’s drawings are positioned in relation to amateur art production, which is closely connected to the concept of the seventeenth-century virtuoso. The catalogue raisonné of Oliver’s works is a significant contribution towards our understanding of this artist. It is also intended to serve as the foundation for future study on the production of art in England more broadly in the first half of the seventeenth century. There are few exhaustive catalogues of artists working in England during this period and it is hoped that this catalogue will stimulate further studies into lesser-known English artists of the seventeenth century. The overarching themes that unite this thesis include the importance of networks and communities, which entails both courtly circles and London-based practitioners. Another prominent topic is a consideration of native art production and its relationship with Continental visual culture. Finally, there is a reflection on artistic practices widely viewed as of lesser interest to modern writers, such as copies and the art produced by amateurs.
Degree
thesis:*- Name dc:type.qualificationname
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Level dc:type.qualificationlevel
- Doctoral
- Grantor dc:publisher.institution
- University of Cambridge
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2023
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Rhodes, Sophie
- Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
-
- Marr, Alexander
Subjects
dc:subject × 11Rights
dc:rightsIdentifiers
dc:identifier.*- DOI dc:identifier.doi
- https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.111009
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/372078