Portrait of John Knox (1505-1572)
ca. 1836
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-94-92
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This evocative print, *Portrait of John Knox (1505-1572)*, created around 1836 by British engraver Benjamin Hall (1808-1884), captures the stern visage of one of Scotland's most pivotal Reformation leaders. Knox, a fiery preacher and theologian, spearheaded the Protestant movement in Scotland, authoring key texts like *The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women* and helping establish Presbyterianism. Hall's depiction, likely based on earlier portraits, reflects 19th-century Romantic fascination with historical reformers, portraying Knox as a symbol of moral convicti...