Karel I (1600-49), koning van Engeland 1636

This enameled portrait of Charles I, King of England, was made in the mid-17th century by Henri Toutin, a master of the technique. Enameling is a painstaking process. It involves fusing powdered glass to a metal base at high temperatures. Notice the vibrant colors and the incredible detail, particularly in the King's face and clothing. These are achieved through multiple firings, with each layer of enamel carefully applied. Toutin’s mastery is clear in the seamless blending of colors and the delicate rendering of light and shadow. The miniature’s intimate scale and precious materials like gold and enamel were favored by royalty and the upper classes, and speaks to its function as a personal, portable expression of status. Enameling requires specialist skills that are indicative of broader divisions of labor and the economy of craft, but the ultimate impression is one of refinement. By attending to both aspects, we can fully appreciate the skill and symbolic richness of this portrait.