Francis Delaram was an English engraver.

Delaram has left behind a substabtial collection of engraved portraits, landscapes and book illustrations (specifically, William Camden

William Camden

William Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and officer of arms. He wrote the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.- Early years :Camden was born in London...

's Historie), but his life is practically unknown. Sidney Colvin

Sidney Colvin

Sidney Colvin was an English curator and literary and art critic, part of the illustrious Anglo-Indian Colvin family. He is primarily remembered for his friendship with Robert Louis Stevenson.-Biography:...

 wrote that Delaram, most likely, was born in Flanders

Flanders

Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...

. The "frolicsome revels of the musical cherubs" that adorn Delaram's prints indicate strong influence of the Flemish school. Delaram could have been trained by Cornelius Boel, who illustrated the first edition of the King James Bible (1611). Poor execution of the background in Delaram's portrait of Charles I of England

Charles I of England

Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...

 according to Shapiro, give away the contribution of another person employed by Delaram.

Malcolm Charles Salaman

Malcolm Charles Salaman

Malcolm Charles Salaman was an English author, journalist and critic. He was educated at University College School and at Owens College, Manchester. Although he had studied mechanical engineering for four years, he became a journalist, and edited two weekly papers...

 and Aymer Vallance noted that male portraits by Delaram stand out for their "grasp of character" but "when he essayed the Court beauties he was far from justifying their reputation" (Vallance). Salaman wrote that the "vitality of [his] admirable prints" is a strong indication that Delaram's portraits of Matthias de Lobel

Matthias de Lobel

Mathias de l'Obel, Mathias de Lobel or Matthaeus Lobelius was born in Lille, Nord-Pas de Calais, France, and died at Highgate, London, England after serving as a physician to William, Prince of Orange and James I of England.Lobel studied medicine in Leuven and Montpellier...

, George Wither

George Wither

George Wither was an English poet, pamphleteer, and satirist. He was a prolific writer who adopted a deliberate plainness of style; he was several times imprisoned. C. V...

 and Horace Vere were drawn from life. His portraits of Elizabeth I of England

Elizabeth I of England

Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...

, on the contrary, were made after original paintings by Nicholas Hilliard

Nicholas Hilliard

Nicholas Hilliard was an English goldsmith and limner best known for his portrait miniatures of members of the courts of Elizabeth I and James I of England. He mostly painted small oval miniatures, but also some larger cabinet miniatures, up to about ten inches tall, and at least two famous...

. One of these prints was expressly authorized by Hilliard.

External links

• Works by Delaram at the National Portrait Gallery