Sir Nicholas Bacon (OB. 1579)

Description

This engraving depicts Sir Nicholas Bacon (1510–1579), who served as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Great Seal is the seal that grants authority on behalf of the state to official acts of the monarch, such as decrees, appointments, and privileges. The offices with largely the same authority over the oversight and use of this seal are the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Keeper. In some periods, the title "Lord Keeper" was preferred for distinguished non-noble jurists. Bacon, along with William Cecil (Lord Burghley), is considered one of the legal and administrative architects of the early Elizabethan administration. The iconography of the fur-lined robe, lace collar (ruff), headdress, and ring in the portrait symbolizes the union of wisdom and authority. The inscription "OB. 1579" indicates his date of death in Latin. The richly carved ornamental border is characteristic of Victorian portrait prints.