Portrait of John Kersey - William Faithorne

A detailed seventeenth-century engraving by William Faithorne depicting the mathematician John Kersey, complete with scholarly Latin inscriptions and mathematical notations.

This engraving by William Faithorne depicts the mathematician John Kersey. Faithorne was a prominent figure in seventeenth-century English printmaking, known for his technical precision and ability to capture the likeness of his subjects through controlled line work. The portrait is presented within an oval frame, a common convention for formal portraiture of the period. The surrounding text provides biographical details, noting Kersey's birth in Bodicot, near Banbury, in 1616.

Below the portrait, a draped cloth bears the Latin inscription, Vox audita perit, litera scripta manet, which translates to 'The spoken word perishes, the written word remains'. This phrase reflects the intellectual climate of the era, where the preservation of knowledge through print was highly valued. Flanking this inscription are mathematical references, including algebraic notations on open books, which serve as a direct nod to Kersey's professional identity as a writer of mathematical texts. The composition is balanced and formal, typical of the Restoration era, with the subject rendered in a three-quarter view. Faithorne employs varied line weights to create texture in the subject's clothing and hair, while the cross-hatching within the oval frame provides a sense of depth and volume. The work is a fine example of the intersection between portraiture and the scholarly pursuits of the seventeenth century, documenting both the individual and the tools of his trade.