Miniature painting originally referred to the art of painting in watercolour on vellum (fine animal skin). It developed in the early 16th century out of the tradition of illuminating manuscripts (hand-written books). In England, miniature was predominantly a portrait art. It was practised by specialist miniature painters, such as Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619). On the Continent, miniature painting as a portrait art had a few great practitioners, such as the French painter Jean Clouet (1516?-1572). But not even Clouet was a specialist. Like Hans Holbein, he worked both in miniature and in large in oil.

In France, it was not until the 1770s that a notable school of portrait miniaturists emerged. It was only then that they were able to rival English ones, such as Richard Cosway (1742-1821) and John Smart (1742-1811). Like Cosway and Smart, these French artists worked in watercolour on ivory. Ivory had been introduced in place of vellum in the early 18th century by Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757), a Venetian artist. The use of this new support developed in distinct ways in England and on the Continent.

This miniature portrait is of the French actress Mademoiselle Anne Françoise Hippolyte Mars. She appeared as a child actress at Versailles and in Paris. In 1795 she made her debut at the Comédie-Française. Four years later she joined the reconstituted company and began a long and successful career. She excelled in Molière comedy, but was also popular in Alexandre Dumas's Henri III et sa Cour ('Henry III and his Court') and Victor Hugo's Hernani. In 1828 she appeared in London.