1550s Collection

Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, around the time of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I (1559). As Princess Elizabeth she lived there in a form of semi-confinement, during the reign of Queen Mary

Tantalus, engraved by Giulio Sanuto, c. 1550s (engraving)
XJF472234 Tantalus, engraved by Giulio Sanuto, c.1550s (engraving) by Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (c.1488-1576) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

William Shakespeare
1577379 William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, at a traffic block in the streets

William Shakespeare
1577385 William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, as he watches boys and girls playing prisoner's base near Temple Bar

William Shakespeare
1577384 William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, walking through London. Dated 16th century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

William Shakespeare
1577377 William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, visiting a Mercer's

Venetian edition of the Odyssey by Homer
1578194 Venetian edition of the Odyssey by Homer; (add.info.: Venetian edition of the Odyssey by Homer. Dated 16th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Portrait of Henri D'Albret, 1556 (enamel)
1574126 Portrait of Henri D'Albret, 1556 (enamel); (add.info.: Portrait of Henri D'Albret (1503-1555), King of Navarre

William Shakespeare
1577383 William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, buying a two penny orange from a fruit seller on Tower Hill

A Illustration depicting a Dissection, 1559 (woodcut print)
1764830 A Illustration depicting a Dissection, 1559 (woodcut print); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Illustration depicting a Dissection. From 'De re Anatomica Libri XV')

Portrait of Niccolo Machiavelli: Italian Renaissance political writer, from 1550 edition of 'The Prince'
5668976 Portrait of Niccolo Machiavelli: Italian Renaissance political writer, from 1550 edition of 'The Prince' (woodcut); (add.info)

Lady Jane Grey, 16th century (engraving)
2911203 Lady Jane Grey, 16th century (engraving); (add.info.: Lady Jane Grey (1536-1554), English noblewoman and de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553

A 16th Century Mishneh
1578028 A 16th Century Mishneh; (add.info.: A 16th Century Mishneh by Mosheh Ben Maimon, preeminent medieval Arabizedd Spanish, Sephardic Jewish philosopher)

Painting by William Shakespeare
1577394 Painting by William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, in St Paul's churchyard

William Shakespeare
1577382 William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, having a chat with some of Raleigh's men back from the Spanish Main

Anatomical Illustration
2626863 Anatomical Illustration; (add.info.: Anatomical illustration from 'Anatomia del corpo humano' 1559 by Juan Valverde de Amusco (1525-ca. 1588).); Universal History Archive/UIG.

William Shakespeare
1577380 William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, admiring the horses in Cheapside, especially his favourite barb-steeds

William Shakespeare
1577378 William Shakespeare; (add.info.: Painting of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English poet, playwright and actor, visiting a Mercer's

The Death of the Wife of Asdrubal, between c1555 and c1560. Creator: Pierre Woeiriot
The Death of the Wife of Asdrubal, between c1555 and c1560

Portrait of Giovanni de Medici, 1550. Creator: Enea Vico
Portrait of Giovanni de Medici, 1550

Jacob's Dream, 1557-1558. Creator: Giorgio Vasari
Jacob's Dream, 1557-1558. As recounted in the Old Testament book of Genesis, on his way to Haran, Jacob lay down in the wilderness to sleep, resting his head on a stone

The Adoration of the Shepherds, c1550 (?). Creator: Cremona
The Adoration of the Shepherds, c1550 (?)

Sudama Offers a Garland to Krishna, Folio from a Bhagavata Purana... between 1550 and 1575. Creator: Unknown
Sudama Offers a Garland to Krishna, Folio from a Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Stories of the Lord), between 1550 and 1575

Portrait of a Baby Boy, 1540-1549. Creator: Agnolo Bronzino
Portrait of a Baby Boy, 1540-1549. The artist painted portraits of many members of the Medici family, and this picture may represent Duke Cosimo's and Eleonora da Toledo's son Garcia

Adoration of the Magi, 1540-1549. Creator: Pieter Coecke van Aelst
Adoration of the Magi, 1540-1549

Portrait of a Woman in a Leopard Cloak, c1545. Creator: Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen
Portrait of a Woman in a Leopard Cloak, c1545. The luxuriousness of this gentlewoman's stole or mantel of European lynx is set off against a variation of a simple linen beguin headdress

Portrait of Fra Lorenzo da Bergamo, 1542. Creator: Lorenzo Lotto
Portrait of Fra Lorenzo da Bergamo, 1542. The Dominican preacher Fra Lorenzo from the city of Bergamo, Italy. Dressed in the robes of his order, Fra Lorenzo is linked with St

Portrait of a Woman with Pinks, c1540. Creator: Unknown
Portrait of a Woman with Pinks, c1540. A three-fourths length standing portrait, this painting depicts what appears to be a middle aged or older woman

Madonna and Child with Saints, 1540-1549. Creator: Bonifacio de Pitati
Madonna and Child with Saints, 1540-1549

The Last Supper, c1545. Creator: Giorgio Vasari
The Last Supper, c1545

The World Carrying Away Knowledge and Love, 1550. Creator: Dirck Volkertsen Coornhert
The World Carrying Away Knowledge and Love, 1550. Series: The Unrestrained World

The First Excuse: the Man who Bought a Piece of Land, 1559. Creator: Dirck Volkertsen Coornhert
The First Excuse: the Man who Bought a Piece of Land, 1559. Series: Parable of the King Who Prepared a Wedding, pl. 2

Firing Cannon, 1550. Creator: David Kannel
Firing Cannon, 1550. Book: Cosmography by Sebastian Munster (Basel: Henri Petri, 1550)

Georg Roggenbach, 1554. Creator: Hans Sebald Lautensack
Georg Roggenbach, 1554

Venus and Vulcan at the Forge, mid-1550s. Creator: Giorgio Ghisi
Venus and Vulcan at the Forge, mid-1550s

Victory, 1552. Creator: Frans Floris
Victory, 1552

The Fall of Babylon, c1555. Creator: Jean Duvet
The Fall of Babylon, c1555. Series: The Apocalypse, plate 18

Holy Family with Saint Francis in a Landscape, 1542. Creator: Giorgio Vasari
Holy Family with Saint Francis in a Landscape, 1542

Ippolita di Ferdinando Gonzaga (image 1 of 2), 1551. Creator: Leone Leoni
Ippolita di Ferdinando Gonzaga (image 1 of 2), 1551

Winter Landscape of Two Herons, Willow, and Tea Plants Blossoms, c1550. Creator: Anon
Winter Landscape of Two Herons, Willow, and Tea Plants Blossoms, c1550

Sophonisba Drinking Poison, 1553. Creator: Heinrich Aldegrever
Sophonisba Drinking Poison, 1553

Venus and the Rose, 1556. Creators: Giorgio Ghisi, Luca Penni
Venus and the Rose, 1556

Venus and Vulcan Seated on a Bed, Mid-1550s. Creator: Giorgio Ghisi
Venus and Vulcan Seated on a Bed, Mid-1550s

The Judgment of Paris, 1555. Creator: Giorgio Ghisi
The Judgment of Paris, 1555

The Servant Inviting the Sick and the Poor to the Banquet, 1559. Creator: Dirck Volkertsen Coornhert
The Servant Inviting the Sick and the Poor to the Banquet, 1559. From Parable of the King Who Prepared a Wedding, pl. 5

The Third Excuse: the Man who Married a Wife, 1559. Creator: Dirck Volkertsen Coornhert
The Third Excuse: the Man who Married a Wife, 1559. From Parable of the King Who Prepared a Wedding, pl. 4

The Preparation of the Banquet and the King Sending out His Servants to Invite Guests, 1559. From Parable of the King Who Prepared a Wedding, pl. 1

Christ with the Adulterous Woman, 1550-1580. Creators: Jacopo Tintoretto, Workshop of Tintoretto
Christ with the Adulterous Woman, 1550-1580

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The 1550s were a time of cultural and artistic richness, as well as political intrigue. In Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, history was made when Queen Mary surprised Courtenay and Princess Elizabeth. This unexpected encounter would have far-reaching consequences for the future of England. Meanwhile, in the world of art, Giulio Sanuto engraved the mesmerizing Tantalus scene in the 1550s. The intricate details captured on this engraving transport viewers to ancient mythology and leave them captivated by its beauty. In another corner of Europe, Lady Jane Grey ascended to the throne during this decade. Her reign may have been short-lived but her story remains etched in history forever. Artistic expression flourished during this period too. Sofonisba Anguissola's masterpiece "The Game of Chess" showcased not only her talent but also highlighted women's contributions to art at a time when they were often overlooked. Architecture also thrived during these years with Sinan's magnificent Suleymaniye mosque standing tall in Istanbul, Turkey. Its grandeur and elegance continue to inspire awe even today. Religious themes dominated some artworks like "Lazarus Begging for Crumbs from Dives Table, " a poignant depiction that reminds us of compassion amidst wealth disparity. On the other hand, illuminated manuscripts like Folio 55: The Feeding of the Five Thousand transported readers back to biblical times through their vivid illustrations on vellum. Even Roman Emperor Marcus Cassianus Latinus Postumus found his place among these remarkable events with an etching capturing his likeness for eternity. Not limited to Europe alone, Sicily boasted its own marvels such as the Fountain of Neptune (1557). This majestic structure adorned Messina with its splendorous water display and added charm to an already picturesque cityscape. Lastly, literature took a fantastical turn with monstrous whales devouring humans depicted in the 1550 edition of Cosmographia.