Lover's eye

#MasterpieceCode Here is an 18th century trend, romantic and at the same time scandalous – the lover's eye.

It is believed that the first such eye was ordered as a sign of love by the Prince of Wales, George IV, for Maria Fitzherbert, who was already married at that time.

Of course, this was frowned upon by the royal court, so the resourceful prince hired a miniaturist to depict only the eye, thus preserving his anonymity. They later married secretly, but the marriage was never officially recognized.

The fashion quickly spread among the aristocracy: such miniatures were given to lovers, spouses, and sometimes in memory of deceased loved ones. But would you recognize a loved one's eyes just by their eyes?