Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level D , Case PS, Shelf 16

Portrait of John Foxe

Print
1641 (engraved)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This print is an engraving, made by cutting lines into the surface of a flat piece of metal, inking the plate and then transferring the ink held in the lines onto a sheet of paper.

The subject of the portrait is the author and martyrologist John Foxe. He is most famous for his publication of Actes and Monuments of these latter and perilous times touching matters of the Church, first printed in Latin in 1559, which became known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs. In it Foxe presented a history of the Church, focusing on the Church in England and giving an account of the martyrs to the Protestant cause. His aim in writing this book was to prove that Protestantism was the true faith.The work was initially criticised but went into four editions in Foxe's lifetime. Copies were kept in cathedrals and churches so that the public could read them. This print is a frontispiece (illustration facing the title-page of a book or one of its divisions) to a later edition of the book.

This likeness of John Foxe was probably copied from an original painting by an unidentified artist which is in the National Portrait Gallery, London.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePortrait of John Foxe (generic title)
Materials and techniques
engraving on laid paper
Brief description
Portrait of John Foxe by George Glover; frontispiece to his 'Actes and Monuments of matters most speciall...in the church; London; 1641; engraving
Physical description
Portrait of John Foxe, head and shoulders facing slightly right.
Dimensions
  • Cut to the platemark height: 232mm
  • Cut to the platemark width: 161mm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • Anno Do 1587 (Within the image on the top left hand corner)
    Translation
    The Year of Our Lord 1587
  • Aetat 70 (Within the image on the top right hand corner)
    Translation
    Aged 70
  • Cujus in hac humili confusus imagine pendes, Et maciem hanc Spectas pallidaq [abbreviation for 'pallidaque'] ora Senis: Edidit hunc Bostona parens: Oxonia nutrix Erudijt: Scripsit Martyres: occubuit (Four lines of Latin text below the image. Translation from the ATLA CDRI (Cooperative Digital Resources Initiative) Database - 'Foxe's Acts and Monuments - Images from the Ninth Edition (1684)'; The Ohil State University Libraries/Bridwell Library, Southern Methodist University, Columbus, OH, 2005)
    Translation
    The old man you are gazing at perplexed in this humble portrait And whose gaunt and pallid face you observe, Him mother Boston brought forth, wet nurse Oxford Educated. He wrote 'Martyrs'. He is dead'
  • G. Glover sculp. (Bottom right hand corner)
    Translation
    Engraved by G. Glover
Credit line
Given by Mr Edgar Seligman
Object history
This print is the frontispiece from the 1641 edition of 'Actes and monuments...' printed in London for the Company of Stationers.
Subject depicted
Literary referenceActes and Monuments of matters most speciall...in the church
Summary
This print is an engraving, made by cutting lines into the surface of a flat piece of metal, inking the plate and then transferring the ink held in the lines onto a sheet of paper.

The subject of the portrait is the author and martyrologist John Foxe. He is most famous for his publication of Actes and Monuments of these latter and perilous times touching matters of the Church, first printed in Latin in 1559, which became known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs. In it Foxe presented a history of the Church, focusing on the Church in England and giving an account of the martyrs to the Protestant cause. His aim in writing this book was to prove that Protestantism was the true faith.The work was initially criticised but went into four editions in Foxe's lifetime. Copies were kept in cathedrals and churches so that the public could read them. This print is a frontispiece (illustration facing the title-page of a book or one of its divisions) to a later edition of the book.

This likeness of John Foxe was probably copied from an original painting by an unidentified artist which is in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Associated object
Bibliographic reference
Actes and monuments...
Collection
Accession number
E.1401-1960

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdDecember 18, 2008
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest