Sir Anthony Shirley

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a full beard and ruff collar. His hair is short and curly, and he’s looking straight ahead with a serious expression. The background is plain, but the edges of the oval frame have text carved into it. The text around the oval is in Latin, and the bottom has more writing, likely describing the man’s role. The artist used fine lines and shading to give the face depth, which makes the details stand out. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this created such precise portraits.