Dorothea Rawlins

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Anthony van der Does captures the likeness of Dorothea Rawlins in a compact format measuring just 17.5 by 12.8 centimeters. Created sometime between 1601 and 1650, the work reflects the growing popularity of portrait prints during the early modern period, when such images served as both personal mementos and means of sharing likenesses across distances. As an engraving, the piece demonstrates the precision and fine linework possible with this intaglio technique, which allowed artists to produce multiple impressions from a single copper plate. These prints played a vital role in 17th-century culture by making portraits more widely available than paintings, often appearing in books or private collections. Now part of the National Gallery of Art’s Rosenwald Collection, the work offers visitors a glimpse into the enduring appeal of printmaking as both an artistic medium and a vehicle for preserving individual identities through history.