Artwork
Sir Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Robert Vaughan. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Robert Vaughan’s 1640 engraving presents Sir Walter Raleigh as a bearded gentleman wearing a ruff. He holds a pipe in one hand and a document in the other, while a shield bearing a cross and a bound book with a ribbon appear behind him.
Subject & Meaning
The inscription identifies the sitter as “The Noble and Learned Knight Sir Walter Raleigh,” juxtaposed with the Latin motto “Tam Marti, Quam Mercurio,” meaning “As Mars rather than Mercury.” The phrase emphasizes Raleigh’s martial reputation over his scholarly pursuits.
Technique & Style
Executed in black‑and‑white line work, the print demonstrates the fine incising typical of mid‑17th‑century engravings. Vaughan achieves texture in the ruff, beard, and ornamental objects through varied hatching and cross‑hatching, allowing subtle gradations of tone without colour.
History & Provenance
Created in 1640, the portrait reflects the posthumous veneration of Raleigh, who died in 1618. The work is attributed to Vaughan, an English engraver active during the early Stuart period, though its original ownership and subsequent collection history remain undocumented.
Artist & collection
