Mastery of Design: The Hilliard Locket, 1610

Locket
English, 1610
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This small circular locket is decorated with opaque and translucent enamel and houses miniatures from the studio of Nicholas Hilliard. One shows James I, King of England (ruled 1603-1625), and, the other, Noah's Ark. The portrait of James I is based on an earlier work by Hilliard, painted around 1605, which is now at Windsor Castle.

Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619) was the most notable miniature painter of his day. He was trained as a goldsmith and is known to have worked on a jewel for Edward Seymour, 2nd Earl of Hertford (died 1621) and to have designed a Great Seal for Elizabeth I (ruled 1558-1603).