Houbraken, Jacob

The son of a clergyman of Scottish descent, Ben Jonson (1572–1637) helped shape the course of English literature, as one of the most highly regarded professional writers of the Jacobean period. He wrote a series of masques for performance at court. A nod to his success as a playwright is highlighted by the presence of a facemask and a jester stick below his portrait. Johnson’s demeanour is indicative of his elevated role in society.