MINGRE'LIA, the name of a division of Russia in Asia, on the Black sea; partly bounded by Circassia; 2,600 sq.m.; pop., 240,000. It is a rugged, mountainous country, but, in the southern part, fertile slopes lie along the river Rion, the most important stream in this part of Russia. Extensive forests of valuable timber cover the mountains. and there are mines of copper, some of which are worked; gold has also been found The country is peopled by Georgians; not, however, of as tine a type as those who inhabit the Caucasus. It was formerly. a part of Georgia, and, at a later period, ruled by native princes; one of whom, in 1867, ceded his rights to Russia, on being paid the sum of 1,000,000 roubles. Miugrelia WM the ancient Colchis, where was the myth: cal golden fleece, in pursuit of which occurred the expedition of the Argonauts (q.v.). l t was also the birth-place of Medea. The productions are tobacco, maize, rice, wool. honey, and wine. Silk is manufactured to sorae extent.
MINH° (Span. Maio, anc. Minius), a river of Spain and Portugal, rises in the n.e. of Grilicia, in lat. about 43° 20' n., long. about 7° 15' w. Its course is. s.w. through the modern Spanish provinces of Lugo and Orense, after which, continuing its course, and forming the northern boundary of the Portuguese province of Minho, it falls into the Atlantic Ocean. Its length, exclusive of windings, is 130 m., and it is navigable for small craft 23 m. above its mouth.
or the painting of portraits on a small scale, originated in the practice of embellishing manuscript books. See 3Lo.alscutrrs, ILLUMINATION OF. As the initial letters were written with red lead (Lat. minium), the art of illumination was expressed by the low-Latin verb miniart , and the term miniatura was applied to the small pictures introduced, After the invention of printing and engraving, this delicate art entered on a new phase; copies, in small dimensions, of celebrated pictures came to be in considerable request, and, in particular, there arose such a demand for miniature portraits that a miniature, in popular language, is held to signify " a very small por trait." Soon after their introduction, miniature-portraits were executed with very great skill in England. Holbein (b. 1498, d. 1554) paiuted exquisite miniatures, and having settled in London, his works had great influence in calling forth native talent. The works of Nicholas Hilliard (b. at Exeter 1547, d. 1619) are justly held in high estimation. Isaac Oliver (b. 1556, d. 161'7) was employed by queen Elizabeth and most of the distin guished characters of the time; his works are remarkable for careful and elaborate execution; and his son, Peter Oliver, achieved even a higher reputation. Thomas Flat,
man (b. 1633, d. 1688) painted good miniatures. Samuel Cooper (b. London 1609, d. 1672), Nvlio was, with his brother Alexander, a pupil of his uncle, Hoskins, an artist Of reputation, carried miniature-painting to high excellence. Cromwell and Milton sat to was employed by Charles IL—and obtained the highest patronage at the courts of France and in Holland. Till within these few years miniature-painting continued to be successfully cultivated in Britain; but it has received a severe check since photog raphy was invented, and most of the artists of the present time who exercised their talents in this exquisite art have left it for other branches of painting. A.s to technical details, the early artists painted on vellum, and used body-colors, that is, colors mixed with vThite or other opaque pigments, and this practice was continued till a compara tively late period, when thin leaves of ivory, fixed on card-board with gum, were substi tuted. Many of the old miniature-painters worked with oil-colors on small plates of copper or silver. After ivory was substituted for vellum transparent colors were employed on faces, hands, and other delicate portions of the picture, the opaque colors being only used in draperies and the like; but during the present century, in which tile art has been brought to the highest excellence, the practice has been to execute the entire work, with the exception of the high lights in white drapery, with transparent colors. In working the general practice is to draw the picture very faintly and delicately with a sable-hair pencil, using a neutral tint composed of cobalt and burned sienna. The features are carefully made out in that way, and then the carnations, or flesh-tints, com posed of pink, madder, and raw sienna, gradually introduced. The drapery and back ground should be freely washed in, and the whole work is then brought out by hatch ing, that is, by paluting with lines or strokes, which the artist must accommodate to the forms, and which are diminished in size as the work progresses. Stippling, or dotting, was a method lunch employed, particularly in early times; but the latest masters of the art prefened hatching, and there are specimens by old masters, Perugino, for instance, executed in that manner.