J.B. Cipriani (1727-1785), Commissioned by Thomas Hollis (1720-1774) Liberty Print of John Milton From A Portfolio of Prints donated by Thomas Hollis, Ee.b.2.
Hollis dedicated himself to the task of advancing English liberty by circulating books on government published in luxurious bindings, in the hope of promoting the ideas they contained. He sent these books, along with prints, medals and other republican memorabilia to educational institutions he thought could make good use of them. These included Christ’s College, because of its links to Milton, and, in America, Harvard and Princeton Universities. This portrait engraving was commissioned by Hollis as one of a series of ‘Liberty prints’ featuring Milton at various stages of life, from childhood to old age. Its likeness was copied from a marble portrait bust of Milton then in Hollis’s collection, which he also later donated to Christ’s.