Antique Portrait of Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury

Antique portrait titled 'Robert Cecil Earl of Salisbury'. Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC (1 June 1563 – 24 May 1612), was an English statesman noted for his direction of the government during the Union of the Crowns, as Tudor England gave way to Stuart rule (1603). Lord Salisbury served as the Secretary of State of England (1596–1612) and Lord High Treasurer (1608–1612), succeeding his father as Queen Elizabeth I's Lord Privy Seal and remaining in power during the first nine years of King James I's reign until his own death.

This print originates from Thomas Birch's 'The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain'. The portraits featured in the series, which were engraved by Jacob Houbraken and George Vertue, were originally issued from 1737 onwards in portfolios of four portraits. Between 1743 and 1752, the series was published by John and Paul Knapton in London in the form of Birch's The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, and contained biographies alongside the portraits. The number of plates included varied from edition to edition. Although the majority contained 108 plates, some editions contained as many as 120. Houbraken was responsible for producing a large proportion of the portraits, with Vertue only engraving around seven. The ornamental surroundings featured on the plates were engraved prior to the portraits, and were done so by Hubert-François Gravelot.

Condition: Good. General age-related toning. Minor wear and soiling, blank verso. Please study image carefully.

Date: c.1750

Overall size: 26.7 x 41 cm.