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Sir Henry Wotton

William Dolle

1660

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Portrait

Dominant colour

Sir Henry Wotton is a 1660 ink by William Dolle, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: William Dolle
When & what style?: 1660 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of an older man with a long beard and deep-set eyes. He’s dressed in a ruffled collar and a heavy robe, holding a scroll or paper in one hand. Behind him, a skeleton leans on a staff, labeled "Memento Mori" — a reminder of death. The skeleton is a classic symbol used to urge people to think about life’s shortness. This image was made using a technique that layers fine lines to create shadows and texture. Next, look up *engraving* to see how artists like Dolle built up detail with just ink and metal.