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Nicholas Hilliard

1547-1619 England/Mannerism (Limner)

 

Brief Biography-Nicholas Hilliard was born in Exeter, England. He was the son of a prominent goldsmith appointed Sheriff of Exeter. Hilliard moved to Germany in 1553 to avoid persecution by Mary Tudor’s regime. He learned much of Northern European art before returning to England in 1558. Hilliard served a seven-year apprenticeship in London with the goldsmith Robert Brandon, Chamberlain of the City of London, and court goldsmith. He soon became a court painter; however, he needed to be adequately rewarded and always had financial difficulties.
He did, however, have some loyal patrons who supported him, and he married the daughter of Robert Brandon in 1576. They travelled to France, where he painted royalty but received little commission and returned to England in 1578. They lived in Cheapside, where they had eight children. Hilliard took on apprentices and was made painter to the Queen alongside George Gower but still had to rely on patrons for financial relief; however, he received a small inheritance on his father’s death in Exeter.
In 1600 his difficulties continued, and he asked permission to go abroad to replenish his finances but failed to do so. Finally, in 1603, he was appointed King’s Limner to James I after the Queen had died, but in 1610 he had another business failure and was imprisoned for a debt he had guaranteed. He wrote a Treatise Concerning the Arte of Limning in his later years.
Hilliard received the last commission from James I to do his portraits; however, he died a year later, in 1618.

 

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Sir W Raleigh

SirWalter Raleigh

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth The First

G Carey

George Carey

A Man

A Man

George Clifford

George clifford earl of Cumberland

Man Leaning

Man Leaning Against Tree

Elizabeth

Elizabeth the First

Queen-

Elizabeth Queen of Bohemia

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Coronation

Elizabeth One Coronation

Elizabeth

Elizabeth One of England

A Woman

A Woman

Alice Hilliard

Alice Hilliard

A Youth

A Youth

The Lute

Elizabeth One Playing the Lute

Marguerite

Marguerite of Valois Queen of Navarre

Mary

Mary

Pelican-

Pelican Portrait

P Devereux

Penelope Devereux

A Woman

Portrait of a Woman

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth

R Devereux

Robert Devereux Earl of Essex

R Devereux

Robert Devereux Second Earl of Essex

R Dudley

Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester

A Woman

A Woman

Self-portrait

Self-portrait

Sir Hatton

Sir Christopher Hatton

Knollys

Lettice Knollys