1627
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Sir Benjamin Rudyerd is a 1627 ink by John Payne, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white portrait shows a serious man with a full beard and white ruff collar. His hair is curly, and he wears a dark coat over a patterned shirt. Around his neck is a chain with a small object at the end. The background is plain, but the edges of the frame have fancy text and swirling designs. The words around the top and sides of the oval are Latin phrases, likely praising the man’s character. The bottom section has more text, probably a poem about him. The whole piece looks like it was carefully carved into metal. If you like this style, look up engraving to see how artists create detailed images this way.
John Payne (1607–1647) was an English engraver, who was one of the earliest exponents of the art of engraving in England. His best work was the finest produced by a native-born engraver working during the reign of Charles I.
See the richer artist page
