James Bretherton after Orde

HENRICUS VI FFUNDATOR

18.5 x 30 inches

To the Provost, Vice-Provost, Fellows & Scholars of King's College in the University of Cambridge, this portrait of their Royal Founder engraved after a drawing taken from the original painting on glass in the magnificent Chapel of the College is humbly inscribed by their most obedient servant, J. Bretherton. A superb stipple plate engraving with additional etching, printed in bistre ink and copied from the stained glass window in the chapel of King's College Cambridge. Engraved by James Bretherton after the drawings of Mr. Orde and published in London circa 1795. Henry is depicted as a youthful king holding crown, sceptre and an open book. The print is very scarce in this large format and printed in such unusual ink.

King's College was founded by Henry VI in 1441 and was originally established to give further education to the boys of Eton College, also founded by Henry VI. This tradition continued exclusively until 1865 when the first non-Etonian was admitted but the links between the two establishments remain very strong to this day.