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Emperor Matthias

Thomas Cockson

1604

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque Portrait

Dominant colour

Emperor Matthias is a 1604 ink by Thomas Cockson, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Thomas Cockson
When & what style?: 1604 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man wearing a tall, pointed hat and heavy robes. His face looks serious, with a short beard and deep lines. Around his head is a circle of text in fancy letters, listing titles like "King of Hungary" and "Emperor of Germany." The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth, focusing on the man’s face and crown. This style was common in Renaissance portraits to show power and detail. Check out how this was made using engraving.