Francis Bacon

Art Historical Context

This engraving captures the likeness of Francis Bacon, the renowned English philosopher, statesman, and pioneer of the scientific method. Created by J. Cochran after an original portrait by the Flemish artist Paulus van Somer I, it dates from the late eighteenth century, a period when reproductions of earlier masterpieces helped preserve and popularize images of influential historical figures for new generations. As an engraving, the work demonstrates the medium’s remarkable ability to translate painted details into fine, precise lines that could be printed and widely distributed. Paulus van ...