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Primary sourcePainting

Thomas Hobbes Portrait by William Dobson

William Dobson

An oil portrait of Hobbes attributed to royalist painter William Dobson, held by the Royal Society of London.

This portrait depicts Hobbes, linking him to royalist circles during the English Civil War period.

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Oil portrait of a man with shoulder-length wavy brown hair, a thick mustache, and a pointed beard, wearing a dark cloak over a white collar against a very dark background. He looks toward the viewer over his shoulder.
William Dobson (attributed), Thomas Hobbes, 1588–1679. Royal Society of London.

About this source

What it is

This oil portrait of Thomas Hobbes is attributed to William Dobson, a painter associated with the royalist side during the English Civil War. It is held by the Royal Society of London.

Why it matters

The portrait places Hobbes within the royalist circles active during the Civil War period, a time when his political ideas about strong, central authority were especially relevant. The painting's connection to Dobson, known for portraying royalist figures, situates Hobbes within the turbulent politics of his era.

Look closer

  • What does the dark, dramatic style of the portrait suggest about the period it was painted in?
  • Why might a royalist painter have been chosen to paint Hobbes?
  • How might the setting of the English Civil War have shaped the way Hobbes is presented here?

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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Engraved title page of Hobbes's Leviathan: a giant crowned figure made of many tiny people holds a sword and crozier over a landscape of hills and a city. Below, a central banner bears the title and author's name, flanked by vignettes of castle, church, crown, mitre, cannon, weapons, battle, and a council.Book

Primary source

Leviathan

Thomas Hobbes · 1651

Engraved frontispiece of the 1642 Paris edition of Hobbes's De Cive. Top panel shows a crowded scene of figures in clouds and a fiery landscape with a winged angel and a group of people. Bottom panel has a central banner titled Elementorum Philosophiae Sectio Tertia De Cive with Latin text, flanked by a crowned female figure holding scales labeled Imperium and a figure with a bow and spear labeled Libertas, with a landscape and the word Religio across the middle.Book

Primary source

De Cive

Thomas Hobbes · 1642

Line engraving portrait of Thomas Hobbes, a man with long wavy hair, a large white collar, and dark robes, shown in an oval frame inscribed with his name in Latin. Below is a Latin inscription and the printer's line 'London, Printed for Will. Crooke'.Painting

Secondary source

Portrait of Thomas Hobbes, Line Engraving

Book

Primary source

The Elements of Law

Thomas Hobbes · 1640

Engraved title page reading 'The Workes of Homer Engl: by T: Hobbes', with a bust of Homer above, two armoured warriors with spears flanking the title, and an oval portrait of Hobbes below. Imprint reads London, printed for W. Crooke, 1677.Artifact

Secondary source

Title Page of The Workes of Homer, Translated by Thomas Hobbes

1677

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