Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal
1598
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1598
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal is a 1598 ink by Unknown, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white engraving of a serious-looking man in fancy clothes. His hat has a round jewel on top, and he wears a thick robe with intricate folds. One hand rests on a small object—maybe a book or a staff—while his other arm is crossed. The background is plain, so all the focus is on his face and clothes. The text below says his name is Thomas Wolsey, a high-ranking church leader who died in 1529. The artist used fine lines and shading to show the fabric’s texture, making it look almost three-dimensional. Want to see how artists used engraving to create such detail? Try looking at other works from the same time.
