Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset
1551 to 1600
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
plate: 17.7 × 12 cm (6 15/16 × 4 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1951.11.246
Art Historical Context
This engraving by Andries Jacobsz Stock, created after an original design by Simon de Passe, presents a portrait of Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset. Produced between 1551 and 1600, the work is a modest plate measuring 17.7 by 12 centimeters, typical of prints made for personal albums or illustrated volumes. Its crisp lines and careful shading reflect the precision engraving offered artists in capturing a sitter’s features for wider audiences. Engravings like this one played an important role in the sixteenth century by allowing multiple impressions to circulate among collectors and scholars. Th...