Gerard Mercator

Franz Hogenberg

National Gallery of Art

The portrait features an older male figure, presented from the waist up, positioned seated with his upper body slightly turned to the right. He has a long, full beard and wears a black hat on his head, with his hair partially visible as it peeks from underneath. His facial features include a pronounced, long nose and deep-set eyes. The figure is dressed in a dark purple garment with a white collar, accented by a darker vest or jacket. His right hand is holding a measuring compass tool, and his left arm rests on a globe. In the background, the image is framed by a blue oval border with Latin text encircling the portrait. The entire portrait is set against a textured, brownish-beige paper with additional decorative scrollwork and text beneath the image. A poem or text written in Latin is below the image.