Portrait of John Dee

This black-and-white engraving depicts John Dee as an elderly man with a prominent, tapering beard and deeply set eyes. He wears a plain dark skullcap and a robe with a high collar or heavy vestment that rests on his shoulders. The hatching lines emphasize the contours of his face and the texture of his curled facial hair, conveying a somber and intellectual expression.

John Dee (1527–1608/9) served as an advisor to Queen Elizabeth I and was a central figure in the history of Renaissance magic, alchemy, and mathematical science. This image represents his enduring status as the archetypal magus in Western esotericism.