His depiction of Evelyn, however, is one of the most remarkable of all seventeenth century philosophical portraits. It shows the 27 year-old virtuoso in melancholy attitude, en deshabille, swathed in black drapery and resting a hand on a skull. A column behind is inscribed in Greek with a dictum of Epictetus, 'Repentence is the beginning of the love of wisdom', while the paper which lies under the skull is inscribed with a quotation in Latin from the Stoic philosopher Seneca.

Provenance

John Evelyn; by descent; Christie's, 1992.