1128 - The Writing Schoolemaster, portrait of John Davies of Hereford, engraving, dated 1631

The Writing Schoolemaster, portrait of John Davies of Hereford, engraving, dated 1631 Copper engraving on paper, inscribed in the plate. The portrait of the writing schoolmaster appears in an oval with the inscription 'THE LIVELY PORTRAITURE OF JOHN DAVIES OF HERFFORD'; depicted is a bearded man with a high forehead and pleated collar in half-profile, his hand resting on a skull. The oval is framed by elaborate scrollwork, supported by figures on either side; writing implements and documents are depicted around it. Below the portrait, on a scroll, is the title 'The Writing Schoolmaster' with a multi-line English text and the year 1631. Condition commensurate with age, edges browned, stained, creased. Image size 12.5 x 17.5 cm (H x W), overall size 24.5 x 31.5 cm (H x W) John Davies of Hereford (c. 1565–1618) was a writing master and poet and was regarded as the most important English calligrapher of his time; he taught at court among other places and published extensive verse. Writing masters' books such as his served for instruction in the various hands and contributed to the spread of the English chancery script; their engraved title pages with a portrait and allegorical framework are among the most elaborate products of early English engraving. The skull in the base is a vanitas motif and points to transience as against the permanence of the written word.