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General Information
The Society of Limners was founded in 1986 by the late Elizabeth
Davys Wood MBE, to promote and encourage the painting of miniatures and
engraving to a high standard.
A miniature may be of any subject, painted on a small scale. The
technique was handed down by illuminators of 15th and 16th
Century manuscripts who worked with red lead or vermillion.
The word miniature is from the Latin for red pigment (minium)
used in medieval manuscripts. Originally miniatures were known as limnings
and the painters limners.
These words are based on the old English limn, derived from the
Latin word lumunare. It was not until the 17th Century
that they were called miniatures.
Miniaturists use many media, according to their individual styles. They
usually paint on ivorine, a man-made imitation ivory, vellum or paper.
The Society’s rules stipulate that works should be no larger than 7
inches by 5 inches when framed.
The Society not only attracts beginners to the art, but its members
include many established artists. All have the common aim: to share
their expertise and further the revival of this art form.
The Society has around 140 members including 12 Diploma members who are
qualified to teach the subject.
The Society’s affairs are managed by an elected council under the
direction of the Chairman.
The Society of Limners became a Charter Member of the World Federation of
Miniaturists in 1995 and that year took part in the first World
Exhibition of Miniatures. In 2008 the Society took part in the fourth
Worldwide Exhibition held in Burnie, Tasmania from 8th March
to 6th April.
The next Society of Limners’ Summer Exhibition will be held in the John
Rank Gallery at the Oxmarket
Centre of Arts, Chichester, West Sussex, from 5th to 17th
July 2010 (open every day except Sundays). Admission is free. Over 300
individual works are expected to be on show and most will be for sale.
Other Society events in 2010 are a Painting Weekend from 26th
to 28th March and a Seminar from 24th to 26th
September, both being held at Earnley
Concourse, Earnley, near Chichester. For further details, please
contact the Administrator (see Membership page).
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