Portrait miniatures became popular in Puerto Rico during the 19th century, with several artists, mainly Creole, practicing this type of painting and leaving behind a group of portraits of undeniable aesthetic and historic value. This study explores the functions and uses of portrait miniatures, their relationship to those pictorial genres that preceded them, and their evolution over the course of the 19th century. Biographical dates and details for some of the greatest Puerto Rican painters of portrait miniatures are also provided. The first chapter of the book looks at small portraits in oil, which preceded the miniature in gouache on ivory; the second covers the technique, uses, special features, and creators of the miniature; the final chapter investigates small photographic portraits, which began to replace the painted miniature in the middle of the 19th century.