Sir Edward Coke
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Accession Number
S/NPG.77.43.47
Tags
Art Historical Context
This engraving of Sir Edward Coke, created by Dutch artist Simon van de Passe between 1616 and 1621, captures one of England’s most influential legal minds. Coke served as a jurist, politician, and legal scholar whose writings shaped common law traditions still referenced today. The print shows him in formal attire, including a ruff collar and skullcap, with symbols such as a book, document, and coat of arms underscoring his role as a magistrate and defender of justice. Van de Passe specialized in portrait prints that circulated widely among the educated elite, allowing figures like Coke to r...