A miniaturist or miniature painter works with lacquer or acrylic to create original works and/or reproductions of paintings, photographs or portraits. The finished piece, watch or jewellery, is generally dried by firing at a low temperature. Various substrates lend themselves to this technique, including gold, mother-of-pearl, ornamental stones and wood.
In 2020 the "art of the miniature" was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Relegated for centuries to the rank of minor art, miniature painting now enjoys the recognition it deserves and miniaturists are acknowledged for their skill and talent. Miniatures developed out of the techniques of illuminated manuscripts. Early miniatures, in the sixteenth century, were portraits of loved ones, small enough to be worn or carried as a keepsake. Over time, miniaturists added other subjects to their repertoire, such as landscapes, mythological and religious scenes, even genre scenes, on a variety of objects including watches and jewellery. Geneva in the eighteenth century was world-renowned for watches decorated with enamel miniatures. However, changing tastes and the invention of photography led to the miniature's decline and almost total disappearance.
In the watch world, miniature painting owes its survival to those Manufactures for which the métiers d'art are a vital complement to purely technical and mechanical expertise. From the late 1990s, alongside a resurgence of interest in mechanical watches, brands wishing to preserve these rare skills opened their workshops to practitioners of these crafts and embarked on collaborations with some of the most talented independents. First to benefit were the traditional métiers d’art of engraving, engine-turning, enamelling and gem-setting, raising the question of the importance and need for training. They were soon followed by more rarely encountered techniques such as filigree, embossing, laquerwork, marquetry, micro-mosaic, paillonné enamel, feather art and weaving.
The art of the miniature was revived chiefly as an enamelling technique, part of the grand tradition of émaux de Genève. Miniature painting, though less familiar, developed alongside the enamel miniature and is particularly appreciated for its rendering of scenes and designs in exquisite detail, and for the variety of mediums. Using a binocular loupe and an extremely fine brush, often a single bristle less than a tenth of a millimetre thick, the miniaturist reproduces a famous work or a work of their own creation on a watch dial. The original design is transposed to the scale of the dial, adjusted for its shape, the position of the hands and any apertures, such as a date window. Only then does the actual miniature painting begin.
Polished synthetic lacquer is the most common medium as it lends itself beautifully to highly defined details and is extremely resistant to shocks, UV rays and acids. As with enamelwork, the lacquer must be repeatedly fired, the number of firings depending on the complexity of the design, and polished between successive firings. Unlike enamel, however, the temperature cannot exceed 140 degrees Celsius, which allows for a wide range of substrates including gold, mother-of-pearl and wood. A miniaturist may combine polished lacquer with other forms of decoration such as paillons (decorative shapes cut from foil) and applications of gold leaf, or extend their palette to mediums such as ink, Super-LumiNova® or synthetic resin – incorrectly referred to as "cold enamel" – which does not need firing.
A miniaturist must demonstrate infinite patience, a sense of fine detail, the capacity to stay focused for long periods and the ability to work through a binocular loupe. A single dial can take ten hours to complete and up to 300 hours for the most intricate designs. In Switzerland there are currently no courses in this discipline, although the Convention Patronale de l’Industrie Horlogère Suisse runs a 22-month block-release course (over three years) in enamelling which can be a first step towards miniature painting. The majority of miniature painters study fine art or applied art then learn "on the job", developing and perfecting their technique alongside established miniaturists who wish to pass on the benefit of their experience.
Since the mechanical watch's elevation to luxury product, the métiers d'art have become an essential component of high-end watchmaking. Convinced of the need to preserve these specialist skills, a number of Manufactures hire and, in many cases, train professionals in these disciplines. However, demand for miniature painting is restricted by the small number of watches that require this technique – often replaced by enamel miniatures which require a similar skillset. There has, nonetheless, been a revival of interest in this art, which has become a speciality of certain brands and even a distinguishing feature with miniatures executed in luminescent paint.
Consequently, there are few openings at the Manufactures for miniaturists who, like the majority of specialists in techniques for which there is less demand, have to work freelance. Their skills are, nonetheless, sought-after for certain projects developed by brands that have the métiers d'art at heart.
What does a miniaturist do?
A miniature painter recreates, on a watch dial, a portrait, painting or other design, following the brief set by the client. One advantage of miniature-painted decorations is that they barely add to the thickness of the dial which can therefore be cased as normal. Lower firing temperatures (compared with enamel) are an additional advantage as there is less likelihood of the dial becoming damaged during firing. Nonetheless, miniature painting requires extreme care and even the smallest "slip of the brush" can compromise the entire piece. Miniature painters may be asked to work on projects with specialists in other disciplines, in which case it is their responsibility not to jeopardise the other artists' work.
What are the challenges?
The main challenge is the ability to concentrate: a miniaturist must be capable of working for hours on end, staying completely focused and with the same dexterity and a steady hand from beginning to end. This aptitude, a form of self-hypnosis for some, demands considerable self-control, excellent time management skills and awareness of one's physical and mental limits.
How can I specialise in miniature painting?
Miniature painters generally learn "on the job". Having developed a certain interest in fine or decorative art, they acquire their specialisation by working alongside more experienced artisans or, more rarely, are self-taught. This enables them to benefit from a master artisan's know-how while building a network of contacts that will be of use to them in their later career.