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Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton

R. Clamp

1796

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton is a 1796 ink by R. Clamp, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: R. Clamp
When & what style?: 1796 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a serious expression. He’s wearing a high, ruffled collar and a dark coat with intricate patterns on the cuffs. The background is plain and dark, so all the focus is on his face and clothes. The lines in the engraving are very precise, showing every fold in the fabric and wrinkle on his forehead. This kind of detail was common in portraits from the late 1700s. Next, check out how engraving works to see how artists create such sharp images.