Henrici VIII Angliae, Franciae et Hiberniam Rex (King Henry VIII)

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Francis Delaram presents a posthumous portrait of King Henry VIII of England, created sometime between 1551 and 1600. Though Henry died in 1547, his commanding image continued to circulate through prints long afterward. Delaram, an English engraver active in the late Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, worked in the detailed line work typical of early modern portrait prints, capturing the monarch’s broad silhouette, richly embroidered garments, and authoritative stance. The choice of engraving was significant: the medium allowed royal likenesses to reach a wider audience than ...

About the Artist

Francis Delaram

Francis Delaram (c. 1590–1627) was a prolific English engraver active in London during the early Jacobean era, producing several hundred plates that captured the likenesses of monarchs, nobles, and scholars. Flourishing from around 1615, he specialized in line engravings for portraits, title pages, and book illustrations, often working after prominent painters. His output contributed significantly...