John King, Bishop of London
1621
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1621
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of a serious-looking man with a long white beard and ruff collar. He’s holding a book in one hand and a piece of paper in the other, dressed in robes that look like a bishop’s. Around him, fancy text wraps in a circle, including words like *"EPISCOPVS"* and *"LONDIN"*—probably short for "Bishop of London." The lines in the print are super precise, made by scratching into metal. This was a common way to make many copies of a portrait back then. If you like this style, check out the technique: engraving.
