Portrait of John Locke, frontispiece to Works

What it is

This engraved portrait of John Locke served as the frontispiece to a 1722 edition of his collected Works, which also included an account of his life written by Jean Le Clerc. The engraving, made by George Vertue, is based on a 1697 painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller. It is held by the British Library.

Why it matters

This image connects several people: Locke the philosopher, Kneller the painter who first captured his likeness, Vertue the engraver who reproduced it for print, and Le Clerc the biographer who wrote about Locke's life for this edition. Together they show how Locke's reputation was built and passed on after his death through both writing and image.

Look closer

• Why might publishers include a portrait at the front of a book of someone's collected works?
• What does the coat of arms and Latin inscription suggest about how Locke was presented to readers?
• How many years passed between the original painting and this engraved version, and why might that matter?