Sir Walter Ralegh (Raleigh)

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Buy a print Buy a greetings card Make a donation Close

Sir Walter Ralegh (Raleigh)

by Simon de Passe, published by Compton Holland
line engraving, published 1617 (1614)
7 1/4 in. x 4 5/8 in. (183 mm x 116 mm) plate size; 13 7/8 in. x 9 3/8 in. (353 mm x 239 mm) paper size
Reference Collection
NPG D21168

Sitterback to top

  • Sir Walter Ralegh (1554-1618), Soldier, sailor, poet and writer. Sitter in 48 portraits.

Artistsback to top

  • Simon de Passe (1595-1647), Engraver. Artist or producer associated with 200 portraits, Sitter in 4 portraits.
  • Compton Holland (died 1622), Print publisher. Artist or producer associated with 43 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This title page to Ralegh's History of the World, published in 1614, presents Ralegh as a naval commander.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D21166: Sir Walter Ralegh (Raleigh) (from same plate)
  • NPG D21167: Sir Walter Ralegh (Raleigh) (from same plate)
  • NPG D25421: Sir Walter Ralegh (Raleigh) (from same plate)

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Events of 1617back to top

Current affairs

Robert Carey, Earl of Monmouth is made Chamberlain to Prince Charles.
Petitions from Catholics persuade James I to permit certain types of recreation on Sundays. However, the king's subsequent declaration of sports angers Puritans who advocated for appropriate and strict observance of the sabbath.

Art and science

Physician and Rosicrucian, Robert Fludd, begins to publish his philosophical work, Utriusque cosmi. Extensively illustrated with mystic emblems, Fludd's neoplatonist metaphysics suggested a complex relationship between the spiritual and physical world, prompting attacks from leading scholars.


International

Incited by Charles d'Albert, Duke of Luynes, Constable of France, the seventeen-year-old French king, Louis XIII, forces his mother Marie de Medici who has held de facto power, into retirement and has her favourite, Concino Concini, assassinated.

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.