Isaac Oliver

Oliver, IsaacIsaac Oliver, engraving by John Miller, before c. 1750; in the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut.

Isaac Oliver (born 1556?, Rouen, France—died October 2, 1617, London, England) was a miniature painter.

Oliver, Isaac: miniature of Dudley North, 3rd Baron North
Oliver, Isaac: miniature of Dudley North, 3rd Baron NorthMiniature of Dudley North, 3rd Baron North, gouache and gold on vellum laid onto card by Isaac Oliver, c. 1609; in the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut.

Oliver’s French Huguenot parents took him to England about 1568, where he studied painting and married the daughter of a then well-known portrait painter, Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder. Oliver soon won renown and royal patronage for his miniatures, including portraits and religious and classical scenes. His son Peter was his student and carried on his father’s later style.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Citation Information
Article Title: Isaac Oliver
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 29 March 2024
Access Date: March 15, 2025