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Printing plate
copper plate Portrait of Sir Thomas Twisden

Object number

LDSAL2022.2.3

Artist/Designer/Maker

Posselwhite, James - Engraver
Smith, Herbert Luther - intermediary draughtsman
Lely, Peter (Sir) - Artist

Production date

1826–1848
1633–1680
1826–1838

Production place

England

Material

copper

Technique

Stipple
Engraving

Dimensions

height: 380mm
width: 281mm

Location

Burlington House - Box A

Content description

Printing plate showing a portrait of Sir Thomas Twisden, three-quarter length, sitting in a chair turned to the right. He is wearing a square hat and fur-trimmed judge's robe and bands, holding a document in his right hand. Traces of a book are still visible on the table on the right. After a picture in Hatton.

With production information below the portrait. Plate maker's stamps on the reverse.

Inscriptions

Inscription content

Sir Thomas Twisden Bar.t
One of the Judges of the Court of King's Bench
From the original Picture by S.r Peter Lely at Bradbourne

Inscription content

Engraved by J. Posselwhite

Inscription content

Drawn by Herbert L. Smith

Inscription content

H[UGH]ES
[P]ETERB[O]C[OURT]
FLEET [ST]
LONDON

References

Reference (controlled)

Betti, Chiara. “Lost Treasures Resurface: The Untold Story of the Society of Antiquaries’ Printing Plates.” The Antiquaries Journal 104 (2024): 304–42. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003581524000179.
    Printing plate of a portrait of Sir Thomas Twisden, three-quarter length. With production information below the portrait. Plate maker's stamps on the reverse.
    The British Museum holds a proof impression (accession no. 1893,0411.22) without any lettering. The copper plate has two lines of lettering in the lower centre, which was cancelled with a pencil, and production information in the lower left and right.

    The plate is listed in a handlist of the woodblocks and copper plates commissioned by Thomas Streatfeild. The handlist was found in one of the Society's drawers with the woodblock. The plate is described as "Portrait of Sir Thomas Twisden, large".

    The printing plates and woodblocks commissioned by Streatfeild for his "History of Kent" were donated by Mrs Streatfeild (possibly daughter-in-law) to the Society in 1890 (see Proceedings, May 1st, 1890, p. 149).

    Digitised thanks to the kind donation of Mr Stephen Wood FSA.