Miniatures
Because of the complexities involved in miniature painting, miniature paintings were among the most valuable diplomatic and political gifts before the invention of the camera (fig 2). In addition to the expensive materials, miniatures require a very high level of painting skills, so they are often handled by top painters with perfect attention to detail and color. There were only a handful of miniature painters at the time, not just because only wealthy families could afford the tuition, but also because learning this skill was difficult, and often a teacher could only tutor one student at a time
The painter of the portrait, Jean-Baptiste Isabey, was the most famous French miniature painter of his time. In his youth, he took lessons with the famous Jacques-Louis David, who painted the well-known The Death of Marat.