Sir Humphrey Gilbert

Willem de Passe and Magdalena de Passe

National Gallery of Art

The image is a portrait showing the upper half of a man's body. The man is depicted in a seated position, turned slightly to his right but looking directly at the viewer. He has distinct facial features including a high forehead, arched eyebrows, a prominent nose, and a pointed mustache and beard. His hair is combed back, appearing wavy and short. He is dressed in a formal historical outfit featuring a high, pleated lace collar, and a doublet with a pattern that suggests layers and opulence, tied at the shoulder with a ribbon. He holds a navigational instrument in his left hand. The background of the portrait is a textured pattern framed by an oval border with text around it. The larger background is plain and off-white, resembling an aged piece of paper or parchment, which also includes additional text at the bottom of the image.