A SELF PORTRAIT OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH DISCOVERED IN THE TOWER OF LONDON:

 

The Tower of London. Internet image from rove.me, public domain.

“A mysterious painting hidden for centuries at the Tower of London may be a self-portrait of the famous adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh. The crude etching, which was found beneath layers of paint in the Fortress’ Bloody Tower, could offer a fascinating glimpse into the aristocrat’s final years. Raleigh was incarcerated in the Bloody Tower before his execution for conspiracy in 1618.” (Rogers)

Portrail of Sir Walter Raleigh. Internet image, public domain.

The portrait was painted on the base or original layer of the wall which was installed during a remodelling while Raleigh was there, said a spokeswoman for Historic Royal Palaces. (Rogers)

“Raleigh was born to a landed gentry family of Protestant faith in Devon, the son of Walter Raleigh and Catherine Champernowne. He was the younger half-brother of Sir Humphry Gilbert and a cousin of Sir Richard Grenville. Little is known of his early life, though in his late teens he spent some time in France taking part in the religious civil wars. In his 20s he took part in the suppression of rebellion in the colonization of Ireland, he also participated in the siege of Smerwick. Later, he became of landlord of property in Ireland and mayor of Youghal in East Munster, where his house still stands in Myrtle Grove. He rose rapidly in the favor of Queen Elizabeth I and was knighted in 1585. He was granted a royal patent to explore Virginia, paving the way for future English settlements. In 1591, he secretly married Elizabeth Throckmorton, one of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting, without the Queen’s permission, for which he and his wife were sent to the Tower of London. After his release, they retired to his estate at Sherborne, Dorset.” (Wikipedia)

Drawing believed to be Sir Walter Raleigh's self-portrait. Internet image, public domain.

Poor Raleigh actually spent three different terms imprisoned in the Tower. “The first time was in 1592 when he incurred the wrath of Queen Elizabeth after marrying one of her ladies-in-waiting without the monarch’s permission. He was later imprisoned for conspiring against Queen Elizabeth’s successor, King James I, from 1603 until 1616, when he was released to lead another expedition to South America. However, one of Raleigh’s commanders attacked a Spanish outpost during the failed mission, violating the terms of Raleigh’s pardon. Imprisoned again on his return to England, Raleigh remained in the Tower of London until his execution. He was beheaded in the Palace of Westminster on Oct. 29, 1618.” (Rogers)

Side-by-side comparison. Internet image, public domain.

While Raleigh was imprisoned in the Tower of London his rooms were refurbished by plastering. This image was found under the top layer of plaster establishing that its date of origin is older than the refurbishment, and suggesting the possibility that this could, in fact, be Sir Walter Raleigh’s self portrait.

NOTE: Some images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them. For further information on these reports you should read the original reports at the sites listed below.

REFERENCES:

Miller, Shari, 2023, Historians hail ‘amazing’ find of Sir Walter Raleigh ‘portrait’ believed to have been painted by the explorer while he was locked up in the Tower of London, 28 April 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk. Accessed online 28 April 2023.

Rogers, James, Sir Walter Raleigh’s Self-Portrait May Have Been Discovered In The Tower Of London, https://www.foxnews.com. Accessed online 7 April 2023.

Wikipedia, Walter Raleigh, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter-Raleigh. Accessed online 7 April 2023.