Follower of Sir Anthony van Dyck 1599-1641

Inigo Jones was an architect and a Renaissance connoisseur.  He first travelled to Italy  circa 1600 to study the ruins of ancient buildings, and on his return to England became involved in imaginative set design in collaboration with the poet, Ben Jonson.  He made a second visit to Italy in 1613 when he purchased works for his patron, Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Arundel.  Two years later Jones succeeded as Surveyor-general of the works, and over the course of his tenure designed a number of landmark buildings, including the new Banqueting House, designed to replace the building destroyed by fire in 1618-19, and St Paul's church and the piazza of Covent Garden, begun in 1631. 

As a draughtsman Van Dyck considered Inigo Jones 'not to be equalled by whatsoever great masters in his time for boldness, softness, sweetness, and sureness of touch'.  An iconic image, the present work derives from the painting by Van Dyck in the Hermitage, St Petersburg.