Thomas Hobbes
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Thomas Hobbes
by William Faithorne
line engraving, circa 1668
7 7/8 in. x 5 5/8 in. (199 mm x 143 mm) paper size
Given by Sir Herbert Henry Raphael, 1st Bt, 1913
Reference Collection
NPG D19290
Sitterback to top
- Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), Social philosopher. Sitter associated with 21 portraits.
Artistback to top
- William Faithorne (circa 1620-1691), Engraver and draughtsman. Artist or producer associated with 720 portraits, Sitter associated with 4 portraits.
Related worksback to top
- NPG D22785: Thomas Hobbes (from same plate)
- NPG D22786: Thomas Hobbes (from same plate)
- NPG D42985: Thomas Hobbes (from same plate)
- NPG D42986: Thomas Hobbes (from same plate)
Events of 1668back to top
Current affairs
An illicit affair between George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham and beauty, Anna Maria, Countess of Shrewsbury, leads to a notorious duel during which Villiers mortally wounds Shrewsbury's husband, Francis Talbot.William Penn, Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania, is imprisoned after producing pamphlets advocating Quakerism.
Art and science
Writer, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle republishes her science fiction work, The Description of a New World, called the Blazing-World, as a separate edition, originally published as an appendix to her Observations upon Experimental Philosophy, (1666).Poet John Dryden is appointed poet laureate.
International
Diplomat and writer, Sir William Temple, negotiates the Triple Alliance between England, Holland and Sweden to protect the Spanish Netherlands from French expansion during the War of Devolution. The union ultimately forces Louis XIV to sign the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and retreat from the Habsburg-controlled Netherlands.Comments back to top
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