The utmost perfection in miniature painting is to be found in the portrait of Mrs. Robert Pemberton (#Pl. 33 (1)pl-33#),[505] in the late Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan’s collection (No. iv.), which bears in every touch the unapproachable skill and rare individuality of the artist. It was formerly in the collection of Mr. C. Heywood Hawkins, and at his sale on May 15, 1904, realised £2750, afterwards passing into the possession of Mr. Morgan, by whose courtesy it is reproduced in this book. In the Hawkins Sale-Catalogue it was described as the portrait of Frances Howard, Duchess of Norfolk, but without authority, for there was no Duchess of Norfolk of that name in Holbein’s time. When exhibited by Mr. Hawkins at South Kensington in 1865, it was described in the catalogue as merely—“Portrait of a Lady, Anno Aetatis Suae 23. Her coat of arms is affixed to the case.” This coat, described by Sir Richard Holmes in the _Burlington Magazine_,[506] in a note accompanying a reproduction of the portrait, is dated MDLVI, and in style and painting is about a century later than the miniature. These arms, as Sir Richard first pointed out, are those of the Pemberton family. Further researches, undertaken by Dr. Williamson, and embodied in his catalogue of Mr. Pierpont Morgan’s Miniatures, prove, almost without doubt, that the lady represented was Mrs. Robert Pemberton. He says: “The arms of the wyverns’ heads which are quartered with those of Pemberton belong to the family of Jago di Lago, gentleman, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire; and Robert Pemberton, of Rushden, Northants, M.P. for Northampton in 1478, married Alice, daughter and co-heir of this Jago di Lago.... Major-General R. C. B. Pemberton, to whom I am indebted for these interesting references, is of opinion that the lady in the miniature is Margaret, daughter of Richard Throgmorton, of Higham Park, co. Northants, who was buried at Rushden, 27th October 1576. She married Robert Pemberton, of Pemberton, co. Lancs., and of Rushden, eldest son of William Pemberton, of the same places, and he died in September 1594. The arms would be those of this Robert Pemberton, whose grandfather certainly bore them.”[507] Footnote 505: Reproduced in Mr. Morgan’s Catalogue, Pl. iv., No. 2, and in colour in _édition de luxe_, No. 4; _Burlington Magazine_, vol. v., July 1904, frontispiece; _Portrait Miniatures_ (_Studio_ Spring No.), 1910, Pl. i.; _Burlington Fine Arts Club Exhibition Catalogue_, 1909, Pl. xxxii.; Ganz, _Holbein_, p. 148 (3); _Connoisseur_, Dec. 1906. Footnote 506: _Burlington Magazine_, vol. v., July 1904, p. 337. Footnote 507: Williamson, Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan’s Catalogue, p. 9. [Illustration: VOL. II., PLATE 33 MINIATURES MRS. PEMBERTON THE LATE MR. J. PIERPONT MORGAN’S COLLECTION PORTRAIT OF HOLBEIN BY HIMSELF WALLACE COLLECTION ] [Sidenote: MINIATURE OF AN UNKNOWN YOUTH]