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Catherine Mannes

Francis Delaram

1608

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque Portrait

Dominant colour

Catherine Mannes is a 1608 ink by Francis Delaram, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Francis Delaram
When & what style?: 1608 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a woman with curly hair and a high collar. She’s wearing a fancy dress with lace cuffs and a patterned bodice. Her hands hold a fan and a piece of paper, and she looks straight ahead with a calm expression. The background is plain, but the edges of the image are decorated with swirls and a coat of arms at the top. The text below the portrait is a poem about beauty and wisdom. It’s written in old-fashioned language, hinting this was made long ago. The style of the drawing—with fine lines and shading—feels very detailed. If you like this kind of art, check out the technique: engraving.

About the artist

Artist

Francis Delaram

Francis Delaram (born around 1590, fl. 1615–1624 or 1627), was an English engraver. Delaram left a substantial collection of engraved portraits, landscapes and book illustrations (specifically, William Camden's…

See the richer artist page