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Primary sourcePainting1656

The Family of William Cavendish, Marquess of Newcastle

Peeter Clouwet · 1656

An engraving of the Cavendish household, Hobbes's long-time employers and patrons, though Hobbes himself is not shown.

Depicts the Cavendish family who employed Hobbes as tutor and secretary, though he does not appear in the image.

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Engraved interior scene: a group of richly dressed men and women gather around a table in a paneled room with leaded windows, a man at right reaches to open a window, and a seated woman in a long gown sits at right. Below is a decorative cartouche with carved heads and a printed verse in italic lines.
Peeter Clouwet, The Family of William Cavendish, Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1656. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this source

What it is

This engraving by Peeter Clouwet, made in 1656, shows an interior scene of the Cavendish family: richly dressed men and women gathered around a table in a paneled room, with a decorative cartouche and printed verse below. It is held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Why it matters

The Cavendish family, headed by William Cavendish, Marquess of Newcastle, employed and supported Thomas Hobbes for much of his career, including during his travels and periods of exile. This print gives a glimpse of the household and social world that surrounded Hobbes, even though he does not appear in it himself.

Look closer

  • What does the clothing and setting tell you about the wealth and status of this family?
  • Why might an engraving of a patron's family be useful to historians studying a philosopher who worked for them?
  • What is missing from this image that might help us understand Hobbes's actual role in the household?

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

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