Princess Elizabeth, Second Daughter of Charles I

Gaywood employed the traditional etching process, incising fine lines into a copper plate with a needle before immersing it in acid to deepen the grooves. Ink was then forced into these lines, and the plate was pressed onto paper, yielding delicate shading and intricate detail, particularly evident in the intricate border and the soft rendering of hair and fabric.

Created during the Interregnum, the print reflects continued interest in the royal family despite the political upheaval following Charles I’s execution. While the original plate’s whereabouts are unknown, surviving impressions have appeared in several 17th‑century print collections, indicating the image’s circulation among collectors of courtly portraiture.

The portrait belongs to a broader tradition of royal portrait prints that served both commemorative and propagandistic purposes. By depicting Elizabeth with symbolic elements such as the cherub and the poetic inscription, the image reinforces the legitimacy and continuity of the Stuart lineage during a period of monarchical uncertainty.