John Goodhand Holt

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair and a high collar. He’s wearing a dark coat with ruffled cuffs and a chain around his neck. His hands are clasped together, and he’s looking straight ahead with a calm expression. The image is framed by a decorative border, and there’s a coat of arms at the top. Below the portrait, there’s handwritten text in fancy script—it’s a poem about the man’s intelligence and how his mind shines through his face. This is an example of engraving, a technique where artists etch designs into metal plates.