John Thompson
1645
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1645
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
John Thompson is a 1645 ink by William Marshall, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair and a mustache. He’s wearing a ruffled collar and a buttoned jacket. His hands are tucked inside the jacket, and his face looks serious. Around him, there are swirly decorative lines framing the image, and tiny ships are drawn in the background. The date "1645" is written near his chest, and the words below say *"Ingenio, non etate sapientia acquiritur"* (which means "Wisdom is gained by mind, not age"). The artist’s name, William Marshall, is also signed at the bottom. If you like this style, check out engraving to see how artists carved these detailed lines.
