German Miniature Painting of a Drunken Musician

A drunken musician endeavors to hold a tune and his balance in this amusing miniature oil on metal painting. The art of the miniature spans over 400 years, finding popularity in the early 16th century when they first appeared in European courts. Miniatures such as this were commissioned by important, wealthy patrons and often used as a means to record an individual's likeness or mementos of important life events.

Circa 1820

Miniature: 3 3/8" diameter
Frame: 6 5/8" diameter