Portrait of John Dee

The black-and-white print depicts the historical figure John Dee in a half-length portrait. He has a long beard, an intense expression, and wears a soft cap and a heavy robe with a large fur collar. His left hand holds a pair of compasses resting on the surface of a globe, while his right hand holds a flat, triangular or rectangular tool marked with a four-sectioned circle. The image is framed by a decorative border of laurel leaves. The hatching and cross-hatching style suggests an early modern copperplate engraving.

This portrait highlights the synthesis of natural philosophy, mathematics, and occultism characteristic of the Elizabethan era. The specific reference to the 'Stone' and 'Angelicall Ministry' connects directly to Dee’s late-life obsession with Enochian magic and communication with spirits, as documented in the writings of his scryer Edward Kelley.