Advertised as ‘Art's Master-piece …as large as the Life’ when first published, this impressive engraving is based on a life study by the court painter Peter Lely, who allowed skilled printmakers to disseminate his works. It is almost identical in scale, pose and facial expression to Blooteling's magnificent mezzotint displayed to the right, suggesting that Lely may have encouraged an element of competition between printmakers, resulting in some of the most celebrated prints of the age.

Cat. 161