LAURENCE HILLIARD (BRITISH 1581/2-1647/8) Portrait miniature of a nobleman, circa 1605, wearing black doublet and white ruff, blue background with gold border Gouache on vellum Set into the lid of an ivory box 50mm (2 in) high Provenance: Edain Bucher It has not been possible to identify the sitter in this delicate portrait but he was clearly a nobleman connected with the court, which is made apparent by the black doublet which he is wearing. Black was an expensive cloth to produce and usually only worn by the very wealthiest of people. Laurence began his apprenticeship circa 1597 and completed it in 1605. He worked for James I and Queen Anne of Denmark and inherited his father's appointment as limner to James I. Some of Laurence's miniatures, as evident here, show the blue background which are reminiscent of his father, Nicholas's work.