Portrait Miniatures Gallery
V&A, London, March 2005
By their nature, miniature paintings are personal artworks, and our design for this gallery aimed to maximise the visitor’s intimate engagement with them. We concentrated on the cases, which we developed with the showcase makers, Goppion, that would bring the visitors as close to the art as possible. To this end, the glass runs parallel to the panel on which the artwork sits – angled at 70 degrees. Graphic panels flank this to form a triptych, which appears to fold out to reveal the precious objects. The height of the case allows comfortable viewing from both a standing position and from a wheelchair (or from one of the stools provided). Magnifying glasses are available on each case.