Portrait of a Man, possibly Thomas Howard, third Viscount Bindon
Robert Peake the Elder
1599
This vigorous portrait is the only signed work by the English-born painter Robert Peake the Elder. The identity of the sitter is uncertain, and, puzzlingly, the inscribed date was changed from 1599 to 1593 soon after the painting was made. There is good reason to believe that it represents Thomas Howard, third Viscount Bindon (ca. 1539–1611), a junior member of the premier aristocratic family in England. Bindon was a difficult and unpopular figure, described by Sir Walter Raleigh as a “peevish fool,” but thanks to family connections he was given command of the troops responsible for defending the south west of England against possible Spanish or French attack, which explains the baton and high-status black armor.
Yale Center for British Art, New Haven · Image: Yale Center for British Art, Public domain · Text: Yale Center for British Art, CC0