Mary van Hannover (1722-72). Echtgenote van Frederik, landgraaf van Hessen-Kassel 1740 - 1770

This is a portrait miniature of Mary van Hannover, made by an anonymous artist, using watercolor on ivory and encased in gold. The image is tiny, only a few centimeters across, yet it speaks volumes about the hierarchies of eighteenth-century society. Creating it would have required considerable skill, not only as a painter of likenesses, but also in preparing the delicate ivory substrate. The gold frame adds a layer of preciousness, emphasizing Mary’s elite status. The miniature is both a work of art and a wearable object, a signifier of wealth and taste. Consider the amount of labour involved in its creation, from the extraction of the gold to the fashioning of Mary’s elaborate lace bonnet. These details offer a glimpse into the global networks of trade and production that underpinned aristocratic life. They remind us that even the most intimate objects can be seen as reflections of larger social and economic forces.