Antique 1807 Engraving of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer – English Reformer & Martyr

An evocative neoclassical copperplate engraving of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556), the pivotal figure of the English Reformation and principal author of the Book of Common Prayer. Published in London on September 1st, 1807 by J. Wilkes and engraved by J. Chapman, this portrait offers a solemn and dignified portrayal of Cranmer in his academic robes and cap.
Beneath the portrait is a vivid cartouche illustrating Cranmer’s dramatic martyrdom by burning—an event which sealed his legacy as a Protestant hero under the reign of Queen Mary I.
As the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, Cranmer was instrumental in England’s break with Rome and in shaping the theological foundations of the Church of England.
Size 11x16 cm