Martin Droeshout Paintings

Martin Droeshout was an English engraver of Flemish descent, born in 1601 in London. He is best known today for his portrait of William Shakespeare, which was used as the frontispiece for the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays published in 1623. This portrait is one of the most famous images of Shakespeare and one of only two that are considered to have a reasonable claim to authenticity.

Droeshout's family was from Antwerp, but they moved to England to escape religious persecution. Martin was the third son of Michael Droeshout, who was also an engraver. Little is known about Martin Droeshout's training, but he likely learned the art of engraving within his family. Droeshout started his career as an engraver around the age of 15. His work mainly consisted of portraits, but he also produced religious pictures, title-pages, and book illustrations.

The Droeshout portrait of Shakespeare has been the subject of much speculation and study. It was praised by Ben Jonson, a contemporary of Shakespeare, who wrote verses endorsing its accuracy that were included in the First Folio. Despite the importance of this work, there is not much documentation of Droeshout's life or other works. His engraving style, though competent, was considered somewhat stiff and formal, which was characteristic of the time.

Martin Droeshout's other works include engravings for books, such as the title page of John Milton's 'Poems' in 1645. He also created images of biblical and historical figures. Droeshout continued to work in London throughout his life. He died in 1650, and his burial was recorded on January 1 in St Giles-without-Cripplegate, an area of London known for its community of artists and craftsmen.