Artwork
Title Page to Sir William Cornwally's Essays
Title Page to Sir William Cornwally's Essays is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Thomas Cecil. It dates from 1621 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Thomas Cecil’s 1621 engraving serves as the title page for Sir William Cornwell’s collection of essays. The composition presents two figures seated at a table beneath an arched frame, with a caption identifying the work above. The print functions as a decorative frontispiece, introducing the textual content that follows.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts a scholar and a scribe engaged in reading and writing, respectively. Their attire—broad‑brimmed hats and loose garments—suggests a scholarly milieu of the early seventeenth century. The juxtaposition of reading and composition underscores the intellectual labor behind the essays.
Technique & Style
Executed by incising lines into a metal plate, the image was printed after the plate was inked and pressed onto paper. Cecil’s handling of line work renders the textures of cloth, the sheen of the inkwell, and the delicate quill, while the arch framing the figures creates a theatrical perspective.
History & Provenance
Created in 1621, the engraving was produced to accompany the first edition of Sir William Cornwell’s essays. It reflects the collaborative relationship between author and engraver common in early modern publishing, where visual frontispieces introduced and legitimized printed works.
Artist & collection
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Title Page to Sir William Cornwally's Essays