Portrait of John Milton
Date
1760
Sitter
John Milton (1608 - 1674, British) , Poet
Creator
Giovanni Battista Cipriani (1727 - 1785, Italian) , Engraver
After
Edward Pierce (1630 - 1695, British) , Sculptor
Object type
Image reference
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 170mm
width (print): 150mm
width (print): 150mm
Description
Half-length portrait of John Milton, within an oval frame of palm leaves and branches. He is shown in a white squared collar and a buttoned robe, his appearance based on a sculpture bust by Edward Peirce now at Christ's College, Cambridge
Inscribed below: ‘JOHN MILTON’ ‘DRAWN AND ETCHED MDCCLX BY I.B.CIPRIANI A TUSCAN FROM A BUST IN PLAISTER MODELLED FROM THE LIFE NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF THOMAS HOLLIS F.R. AND S. S S.’
‘CYRIAC THIS THREE YEARS DAY THESE EYES THOUGH CLEAR / TO OUTWARD VIEW OF BLEMISH OR OF SPOT / BEREFT OF LIGHT THEIR SEEING HAVE FORGOT / NOR TO THEIR IDLE ORBS DOTH SIGHT APPEAR / OF SUN OR MOON OR STAR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR / OR MAN OR WOMAN YET I ARGUE NOT / AGAINST HEAV’N’S HAND OR WILL NOR BATE ONE IOT / OF HEART OR HOPE BUT STILL BEAR UP AND STEER / RIGHT ONWARD WHAT SUPPORTS ME DOST THOU ASK / THE CONSCIENCE FRIEND TO HAVE LOST THEM OVER-PLY’D / IN LIBERTIES DEFENCE MY NOBLE TASK / OF WHICH ALL AUROPE RINGS FROM SIDE TO SIDE / THIS THOUGHT MIGHT LED ME THROUGH THIS WORLDS VAIN MASK / CONTENT THOUGH BLIND HAD I NO OTHER GUIDE'
John Milton (1608-1674), English poet, was not a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Inscribed below: ‘JOHN MILTON’ ‘DRAWN AND ETCHED MDCCLX BY I.B.CIPRIANI A TUSCAN FROM A BUST IN PLAISTER MODELLED FROM THE LIFE NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF THOMAS HOLLIS F.R. AND S. S S.’
‘CYRIAC THIS THREE YEARS DAY THESE EYES THOUGH CLEAR / TO OUTWARD VIEW OF BLEMISH OR OF SPOT / BEREFT OF LIGHT THEIR SEEING HAVE FORGOT / NOR TO THEIR IDLE ORBS DOTH SIGHT APPEAR / OF SUN OR MOON OR STAR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR / OR MAN OR WOMAN YET I ARGUE NOT / AGAINST HEAV’N’S HAND OR WILL NOR BATE ONE IOT / OF HEART OR HOPE BUT STILL BEAR UP AND STEER / RIGHT ONWARD WHAT SUPPORTS ME DOST THOU ASK / THE CONSCIENCE FRIEND TO HAVE LOST THEM OVER-PLY’D / IN LIBERTIES DEFENCE MY NOBLE TASK / OF WHICH ALL AUROPE RINGS FROM SIDE TO SIDE / THIS THOUGHT MIGHT LED ME THROUGH THIS WORLDS VAIN MASK / CONTENT THOUGH BLIND HAD I NO OTHER GUIDE'
John Milton (1608-1674), English poet, was not a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Object history
Plate to 'Memoirs of T Hollis', 1780.