John Calvin

I. Covens

National Gallery of Art

This print shows a man standing upright, facing the left, holding an open book with one hand and turning the pages in the other hand. He has pale skin, a long nose, a long, pointed beard, deep-set eyes, and thin lips set in a neutral expression. He is wearing a flat, wide-brimmed cap with flaps on the side and a floor-length robe with fur lining at the collar and cuffs. Behind him, on the right, is a shelf lined with books. Below the shelf is a cushioned chair. On the left is a table with more books, one of them open, a candle, and thin quills in a container by the books and papers. The table is covered with a cloth, and above it is a window with a dark curtain drawn to the left side. Behind the man's head is a round wall ornament, and near the upper right corner of the print is a framed picture or map on the wall. The floor below the man has a checkerboard pattern, and more books are stacked on a platform in the bottom right corner, with small stairs visible in the bottom left corner. Below the print are several lines of text.