William Sommers, King Henry VIII's Jester

Art Historical Context

This engraving, created by Francis Delaram between 1551 and 1600, presents a facsimile portrait of William Sommers, the celebrated jester at the court of King Henry VIII. Sommers served as a trusted entertainer and confidant to the Tudor monarch, embodying the unique role court fools played in Renaissance England. Through wit and performance, jesters like Sommers offered both amusement and subtle counsel, navigating the dangerous politics of the royal household. As a print medium, this work highlights the growing importance of reproductive techniques in the sixteenth century. Facsimiles allowed images of notable figures to circulate more widely among collectors and the public, preserving likenesses that might otherwise have been limited to painted originals. The modest plate size reflects the intimate scale often favored for such portrait prints, making them suitable for personal albums or study. Housed in the National Gallery of Art’s Rosenwald Collection, the work invites viewers to consider how historical personalities were remembered and reimagined through graphic art.

About the Artist

Francis Delaram · 1590–1627

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...