Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk - Jacobus Houbraken

A refined eighteenth-century engraving by Jacobus Houbraken, depicting the 4th Duke of Norfolk within a decorative, baroque-style frame.

This engraving by the Dutch master Jacobus Houbraken depicts Thomas Howard, the 4th Duke of Norfolk. The work is a fine example of eighteenth-century portrait printmaking, demonstrating the technical precision required to translate painted likenesses into the medium of copperplate engraving. Houbraken was highly regarded for his contributions to Thomas Birch's 'Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain', a collection that sought to document the figures of British history through high-quality portraiture.

The composition follows a traditional format for historical portraiture of the period. The Duke is presented within a circular frame, a device that mimics the appearance of a stone medallion or relief. His attire, including the ruff and doublet, reflects the fashion of the sixteenth century, the era in which the subject lived. The portrait is framed by a heavy, draped curtain, which adds a sense of theatricality and weight to the image.

Below the portrait, Houbraken includes a decorative cartouche featuring a putto. This figure is shown with a crown, a symbolic reference to the Duke's noble status and his proximity to the Tudor court. The contrast between the formal, stoic expression of the Duke and the fluid, ornamental nature of the surrounding architectural elements is characteristic of the period's aesthetic. The engraving demonstrates a mastery of line and shading, with the artist using varied hatching techniques to suggest the texture of fabric, the softness of skin, and the solidity of the stone-like frame. This print serves as a record of the historical interest in British genealogy and biography that flourished during the Enlightenment, providing a window into how historical figures were visualised and remembered by later generations.