This engraving of Sir Francis Walsingham, Secretary of State is from The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain by Thomas Birch. Printed by John Knapton 1747, London. The engravings were by Jacobus Houbraken and George Vertue after Holbein,Kneller, Van Dyck et al.This copper-engraved plate is by Houbraken and the engraving is accompanied by a short history and biography of the figure.The Dutch engraver Jacobus Houbraken was one of the most accomplished portrait engravers of the eighteenth century. Under the framed portrait of each individual, Houbraken also engraved both the delightful vignettes and objects describing the importance of each person.The English engraver and historian, George Vertue, was also commissioned to work on the set. This work of finely engraved portraits of British luminaries from the 14th to 18th centuries includes literary icons such as Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, John Dryden and Alexander Pope; Royal personages including Henry VIII and various of his Queens; men of science and philosophy, among them Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, William Harvey and Robert Boyle; adventurers Francis Drake and Walter Ralegh; and various other politicians, nobility and military persons.Size: 10in x 16in (25cm x 41cm)

The print is in excellent condition but please inspect the image carefully for any occasional age related marks.