MINIATURE PAINTING
The back of each frame is covered with paper. Each has ink inscription: .1) “John Trenaman / Aged 21 / Taken in 1813”, .2) “Mary Trenaman / Taken 1813 / Aged 23 / Devonport / England / G.B. / Came to Charlottetown / 1818. Grandpa in 1814”.
Narrative
A well-known Charlottetown clockmaker, John Trenaman was born at Ermington, Devon, England in 1792. He married Mary Collins (1790-1852) in 1813, the same year these miniature portraits were painted. The couple immigrated to Prince Edward Island at some point prior to 1820. Trenaman established himself in Charlottetown selling tall-case clocks, ogee clocks and watches, likely imported from England and America. After Mary died in Charlottetown, John remarried Catherine Mason in 1855. John died in 1868 and was buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Charlottetown, PEI.
The tradition of portrait
miniatures dates to the 16th century and became a popular artform in
England during the reign of Henry VIII. In the early 18th century
ivory began to replace vellum as artists' support of choice for miniature
portraits. As a non-absorbent surface,
ivory proved a difficult support on which to paint with watercolour. However, the
luminous quality of the ivory surface was found to enhance the finished
product. Miniatures remained popular up until the invention and popularization of
photography at the end of the 19th century.