MINIATURES MAGNIFIED: CONSERVATION WORKSHOP WITH ALAN DERBYSHIRE
Making, materials and the conservation of portrait miniatures.
Fondazione Maddalena Di Giacomo welcomes specialist conservator Alan Derbyshire for an intensive three-day workshop exploring how portrait miniatures were made, the materials and techniques used by miniature painters, and how these exceptionally delicate objects can be conserved and preserved today, including close examination under the microscope.
About the workshop
How were portrait miniatures painted, and what can understanding their making teach us about their preservation?
Led by specialist conservator Alan Derbyshire, Miniatures Magnified offers an in-depth exploration of the materials, techniques and conservation challenges associated with portrait miniatures.
Beginning with the methods employed by miniature painters, the workshop examines different supports, pigments and painting techniques and considers how these evolved over time. Particular attention is given to the relationship between artistic technique and conservation: understanding how an object was made is fundamental to understanding how it ages and how it should be cared for.
Through close observation, including examination under the microscope, participants will investigate painting techniques, surfaces and material details that are often invisible to the naked eye, gaining a deeper understanding of how portrait miniatures were made and how their physical characteristics inform conservation decisions.
The workshop will also explore the sensitivity of portrait miniatures to light, humidity, temperature and handling, alongside questions of framing, display, storage and long-term preservation.
Approaching the miniature as both image and material object, Miniatures Magnified reveals the extraordinary technical knowledge contained within works designed to be held in the hand, carried, worn and kept close to the body.
Combining historical technique, microscopic observation and conservation practice, the workshop offers participants an opportunity to look beyond the painted surface and understand the physical construction and material life of these intimate works.
The programme forms part of Fondazione Maddalena Di Giacomo’s ongoing research into portrait miniatures, material culture and the preservation of intimate objects.
Workshop Programme
Day One — 22 October
Morning, 10:00–12:30
Introductions and discussion of the format of the workshop and what we hope to achieve.
Lecture: Materials, Techniques and Conservation of Portrait Miniatures on Vellum — 1525 to 1700.
Lecture: Materials, Techniques and Conservation of Portrait Miniatures on Ivory — 1700 to present.
Discussion.
Lunch, 12:30–13:30
Afternoon, 13:30–17:00
Surveying of portrait miniatures. Discussion of approach to assessing portrait miniatures and assigning condition ratings; handling; recognition of problems; condition reports for travel. Participants work in pairs, each pair with a microscope.
Day Two — 23 October
Full day, 10:00–17:00 (with coffee/tea breaks and lunch, 12:30–13:30)
Treatment of miniatures, using a mixture of mock-ups and suitable miniatures from available collections.
Areas covered:
–Opening of lockets
–Cleaning glass
–Cleaning lockets
–Surface cleaning of miniature
–Consolidation
–Flattening
–Mending cracks in ivory
–Re-sealing and framing
Day Three — 24 October
Morning, 10:00–12:30 (with coffee/tea break and lunch, 12:30–13:30)
Continue with survey and treatment of miniatures from various collections.
Afternoon, 13:30–17:00
Painting a Tudor portrait miniature: participants mix pigments and paint on vellum, including reconstruction of Hilliard’s pearls and rubies.
About Alan Derbyshire
Alan Derbyshire is a specialist in the conservation of portrait miniatures and works of art on paper. He joined the Victoria and Albert Museum as a Paper Conservator in 1983 and later became Head of Paper, Books and Paintings Conservation, remaining at the Museum until 2020.
In 2018, he was awarded the Plowden Medal for his significant contribution to the conservation profession, with particular recognition of his work in paper conservation and portrait miniatures. He is Conservation Consultant to The Limner Company and works with museums, collections and institutions on the conservation and study of portrait miniatures
Event Information
Date & Session times: 22–24 October 2026, 10:00–17:00 daily · lunch 12:30–13:30
Location: Fondazione Maddalena Di Giacomo, Palazzo Valier, San Polo 1022, Venice
Admission: € 650 per person, Early-bird Admission: € 500
Admission includes: Three-day conservation workshop, refreshments throughout the three days, and reception drinks
Capacity: Limited
Booking: Reservation required
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