Charles II
1654
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
William Faithorne
William Faithorne (1616–1691) was a British artist, born in Greater London.
See the richer artist page1654
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Charles II is a 1654 ink by William Faithorne, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair and a serious expression. He’s wearing a ruffled collar and a dark jacket. The background is just a plain oval shape with some cross-hatching lines. The artist used tiny lines to create shadows and texture, making the face look three-dimensional. The name at the bottom says “Charles II, King of England,” but we’ll take that with a grain of salt—sometimes titles get added later. If you like this style, check out the technique: engraving to see how artists use lines to build depth.
William Faithorne (1616–1691) was a British artist, born in Greater London.
See the richer artist page
