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Majesties Sacred Monument

Robert Vaughan

1640

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque Allegory

Dominant colour

Majesties Sacred Monument is a 1640 ink by Robert Vaughan, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Robert Vaughan
When & what style?: 1640 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image is a busy black-and-white print packed with tiny figures and symbols. At the center sits a tall tomb draped in heavy curtains, topped with a crown and surrounded by statues of people in robes. Around it, more figures kneel, stand, or float in the air, holding scrolls or pointing upward. The edges are filled with crests, shields, and swirling text in old-fashioned lettering. The print looks like a memorial, but it’s also full of hidden meanings—like a puzzle. The mix of crowns, books, and weeping figures suggests it’s about death, power, and memory. Want to know more about how artists like this made prints using sharp tools? Try looking up engraving.