Title Page to John Boys' Works

John Payne

National Gallery of Art

This is a detailed frontispiece of a literary work by John Boys. It includes heraldic shields, architectural elements, and textual inscriptions. In the central oval, the dedication to "The Workes of John Boys, Doctor in Divinity" is featured, surrounded by decorative scrollwork. On the left, an interior scene shows a figure seated at a desk, writing, with the Latin inscription “Scriba doctus in regno celorum.” Opposite, another figure in a library setting gestures thoughtfully, annotated by the phrase "Confitare Mei." Above, an allegorical scene depicts a kneeling figure between two large hands emerging from clouds. The bottom area shows a man at a lectern, framed by elegant motifs.