Miniature Masterpieces From the Gilded Age

Czar Nicholas II
Miniature of Czar Nicholas II of Russia by Amalia Kussner (1899), as seen in “The Human Side of the Czar,” Century Magazine, October 190 6. Century Magazine, author’s collection

Prince of Wales Miniature
Miniature of the Prince of Wales by Amalia Kussner, as seen in “H.R.H. The Prince of Wales in the Costume of a Knight of Malta,” Century Magazine, September 1900. Courtesy of HathiTrust Digital Library

Caroline Astor - 1901
Miniature of Mrs. Astor by Amalia Kussner, as seen in “Amalia Kussner’s Miniatures of the Astor Family,” The House Beautiful, September 1901.

BY PAMELA BARKER
North Palm Beach Life
September 19, 2025

The Miniature Painter Revealed, By Kathleen Langone

My first thought upon receiving the lovely book, “The Miniature Painter Revealed,” by Kathleen Langone was, I need to know more about Gilded Age miniature painting before submerging myself into a book on the topic.

Basically, it is exactly what it says: Small-scale portraits favored by the rich and royals during the Gilded Age, primarily. Intimate in size, these were considered artworks, either displayed in a parlor or worn as an accessory. Typically, they were handcrafted portraits in vivid colors, sometimes on ivory, and were a symbol of wealth and your place in society.

The author provided unexpected insight into not only the small painted portraits during a rarifed slice of history, but also about the artist, Amalia Kussner. Through the German side of her family, Ms. Langone shared that she is distantly related to the artist.

---

Author Kathleen Langone

Through her extensive research, the author explores the roles women played at a time options were severly limited. Ms. Kussner found her way to express not only herself, but also painted women as they wanted to be seen and had never been shown before -- wearing diaphanous clothing, costumes and draperies exposing shoulders, sometimes with plunging necklines displaying expensive jewels owned by the women. 

How fascinating to discover the journey of this artist, described by the author as a self-made woman not only ahead of her time, but  also sought-after by the elite of the era. 

Painting royalty was not uncommen for Ms. Kussner. Requesting to paint him without his courtiers, H.R.H. The Prince of  Wales complied, and through his association with Amalia, gave her at least two pieces of fine jewelry, featured in the book. It seems her personality and passion endeared her to many royals, including: Czar Nicholas, and Czarina Alexandra of Russia. They became friends. 

A quote from Amalia on royalty:

“Royalty is not formidable. It is very human...It never disappoints an artist in an appointment. All have their off days, you may be sure, like the rest of us poor mortals-tired, headachy, and all that; but there is never one word of complaint.”

Not only royalty, but also ladies of society sought Amalia, as shown in comparison photos included in the book, and her painted subjects never looked better. Having painted Carrie Astor, the artist received the following praise:

---

Amalia in her studio
Amalia Kussner sitting in her Windsor Hotel studio (1898). Courtesy of the Amalia Kussner Papers (Private Collection), Sisters of Providence Archives at Saint Mary-of- the-Woods, Indiana

“Your name is well known, and your work is much praised and admired, it speaks for itself, the beauty and delicacy of it are much appreciated by all whose judgment is worth having. The miniature you did of me, has been much praised.”

During the research for this book, the author discovered the painter was not always what she seemed. There were age discrepancies lawsuits, a hidden marriage and more, but Ms. Langone tells us, “Her star burned bright for almost twenty-five years, a period in history that spanned the end of the Gilded Age into ​the Progressive Era.
​

---