William, Earl of Pembroke

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a serious-looking man with a thick beard and mustache. He’s wearing a fancy ruff collar and a chain around his neck, possibly a medal. The background is plain, keeping all focus on his face and clothes. The tiny lines all over the image create the details—this isn’t paint, it’s etched metal. That’s how the artist made the shadows and textures look real. Next, check out how engraving works to see how artists carve images into metal plates.