The luminance and depth effect of the paints could be influenced by the amount of binder. For this reason, dark shades in which a special depth of colour was desired, were frequently coated with pure binder (presumably gum arabic). In contrast to this, light parts were only bound weakly and left quite matt so that they preserved a maximum of luminance. Different amounts of surface shine can be found in miniatures from as early as the 16th century, but miniatures generally remained matt until the middle of the 18th century. Not until later on were the works increasingly coated with binder and were therefore shinier.
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Signatures were painted, if at all, on the edge of the picture with a fine brush (example: cat.-no. 2000-7). More rarely they were scratched into the paint or written with a grey pen. English miniaturists liked to sign the works additionally on the reverse labels where there was more space for dates, names and sometimes also the address of the miniaturists. Not all miniaturists signed their works. Observed generally, it can be noted that in England, miniaturists liked to sign with a monogram from the beginning of miniature painting until the end of the 18
th century (example: cat.-no. 2000-65 and 2000-69), whereas on the continent signatures were unusual until the 1870s. Later on, the quantity of signed miniatures increased here too; the full, written surname of the artist was preferred over the monogram.