The miniature holds a distinctive place amongst the visual arts, with its own unique characteristics .It involves several different genres: In miniature paintings we may find depictions of urban and pastoral landscapes, battles scenes, etc., but the most important subjects is the portrait. During the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe, portraits in miniature were placed on writing desks, hung on the walls of studies and boudoirs, fix into boxes, snuffboxes, the handles of walking sticks, medals rings, brooches and bracelets, all of which allowed the owner to always have an image of his loved ones at hand. Portraits of emperors and empresses, mounted in gold, silver and precious stones, were used as honors and decorations. Usually a portrait was commissioned in more than one copy; these copies were then presented to relatives and friends, although only the first copy was signed by the artist. The portrait had therefore the same role that later on was given to photography.
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