Eye miniatures became fashionable between around 1790 and their popularity lasted until around 1820/30. The most famous eye miniature wearers were George IV, Prince of Wales and his secret and illegal wife, Maria Fitzherbert. Their illicit relationship involved the exchange of eye miniatures by Richard Cosway, the first of which was sent by the Prince of Wales to Maria Fitzherbert whilst she was in Europe, as a token of his love and affection towards her. Shortly after the gift was made, Maria returned home and they married in a secret ceremony. The composition of an eye miniature meant that the anonymity of lovers could be preserved. Eye miniatures were also commissioned by families and given to relatives. Some were worn as mourning jewellery to remember a loved one. Engleheart is thought to have produced at least twenty-two eye miniatures, having received commissions from Sir Thomas and Lady Beauchamp for eye miniatures of them and four of their children (see G. C. Beottecher (ed.), The Look of Love. Eye Miniatures from the Skier Collection, London, 2012, p. 19). It has also been argued that the eye miniature was intended as a way of two people gazing at each other, when one of the loved ones is absent (see H. Grootenboer, ‘Treasuring the Gaze: Eye Miniature Portraits and the Intimacy of Vision', in The Art Bulletin, Vol. 88, September 2006, pp. 496-507).