George Wither, Poet
published 1635
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 21.2 × 16.9 cm (8 3/8 × 6 5/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1951.11.332
Art Historical Context
Behold the elegant engraving *George Wither, Poet by John Payne, published in 1635. This intimate portrait captures the likeness of George Wither, a prominent English poet known for his religious and pastoral verses during the early 17th century. a modest 21.2 × 16.9 cm on its sheet, the print exemplifies the refined artistry of the period, housed today in the National Gallery of's Rosenwald Collection within the CG-E Department. As a classic example of 17th-century printmaking, Payne's engraving technique—in which intricate lines are incised into a metal plate, inked, and pressed onto paper—...
About the Artist
John Payne
John Payne is an artist whose biographical details remain difficult to establish with certainty, partly because the name is common and several artists of that name were active in different periods and countries. The works attributed to this John Payne suggest engagement with printmaking or illustration traditions, but without confirmed dates, nationality, or documented training, a precise account ...