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Primary sourcePaintingc. 1622

Portrait of Sir Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans

c. 1622

A portrait of Francis Bacon from around 1622, held at Hardwick Hall, showing him after his political fall from office.

Painted after his political disgrace, this portrait shows how Bacon continued to be depicted as a dignified figure.

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Oil portrait of a bearded man in a black wide-brimmed hat and black clothing with a large white lace ruff collar, set against a dark background. He gazes toward the viewer with a serious expression.
Unknown artist, Sir Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, c. 1622. Hardwick Hall.

About this source

What it is

This oil painting shows Francis Bacon in black clothing with a large lace ruff and a wide-brimmed hat, set against a dark background. It dates from about 1622 and is kept at Hardwick Hall, a grand English country house.

Why it matters

This portrait was made after Bacon's fall from political power, when he had been removed as Lord Chancellor. Its presence in an aristocratic house like Hardwick Hall shows how portraits of prominent, sometimes disgraced, public figures were collected and displayed as part of noble picture galleries.

Look closer

  • What does Bacon's expression and clothing suggest about how he wanted to be seen after his fall?
  • Why might a great house like Hardwick Hall want to display his portrait?
  • What does the picture leave out about the events of his later life?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Francis Bacon on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Black and white engraved portrait of a bearded man with curly hair, wearing a wide-brimmed dark hat, a large white lace collar, and a dark embroidered doublet, against a shaded background. The caption below reads 'LORD BACON'.Painting

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Francis Bacon, Engraving by C. Cook after Houbraken

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