Portrait of John Dee

The image is a line engraving showing an elderly, bearded man with a furrowed brow wearing a cap and a heavy, fur-collared gown. He sits behind a desk, looking slightly off to his right. His right hand steadies a divider against a globe, suggesting the measurement of the world or navigation, while his left hand holds a rectangular board displaying a circular figure divided into sectors. The portrait is enclosed within a circular frame set against a cross-hatched square background.

This portrait identifies John Dee, the renowned English mathematician, astronomer, and occultist, with his pursuits in natural philosophy and angelic communication, the latter specifically mentioned in the inscription regarding the 'Stone'. It reflects the synthesis of empirical science and Hermetic inquiry characteristic of the Renaissance magus.