Price: $275.00
SKU: 82332
ARTIST: Jacobus Houbraken
PUBLISHER: Published by Thomas Birch. Issued in parts in London from 1743 to 1752.
MEDIUM: Copper engraving,
DATE: c. 1746
EDITION SIZE: Image size 13 5/8 x 8 1/2" (34.7 x 21.6 cm).
DESCRIPTION: This fine 18th-century portrait of Sir Francis Drake, engraved by the Dutch master Jacobus Houbraken, was issued as part of the celebrated Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain series, published by John and Paul Knapton. Born in Devon, Drake rose to prominence through daring voyages and acts of privateering, earning both riches and infamy by raiding Spanish possessions in the New World. He became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe (1577–1580) aboard the Golden Hind and later played a crucial role as second-in-command in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Though his final voyage in 1596 ended in failure, Drake remained one of the most storied figures of the Elizabethan era. Houbraken’s meticulous engraving style brings a sense of classical dignity to the image, aligning with the period’s idealization of Britain’s naval heroes.
ADDITIONAL INFO: This piece is in a 14 x 19 inch mat for handling.
CONDITION: Good condition. Black & white.
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