Sir Edward Coke
1670
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 19.5 × 13.4 cm (7 11/16 × 5 1/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1951.11.311
Art Historical Context
This elegant engraving, *Sir Edward Coke* by Payne from 1670, captures the likeness of one of England's influential jurists. Sir Edward Coke (155–1634), a figure in the development of law, served as Lord Justice and staunchly defended rights against royal absolutism Created over three decades after his death, Payne's print reflects the enduring reverence for Coke's legacy during Restoration era, when his writings continued to shape British. As a small-scale engraving measuring 19.5 × 13.4 cm, the work exemplifies 17th-century printmaking techniques. Engraving involves incising fine lines into...
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 ...