COOPER, SAMUEL

born 1609 died May 5, 1672, London painter, one of the finest English miniaturists, and perhaps the most celebrated of all English artists in his own day. Cooper was the younger brother of the miniaturist Alexander Cooper and, like his brother, a pupil of their uncle, John Hoskins. He worked for Oliver Cromwell as well as for the restored monarchy and court. His miniature portraits are remarkable for both their expressive Baroque use of colour and brushwork within a tiny format and for their effective presentation of their subjects' individual character.