Gerard Soest: A Quiet Master of Elizabethan Portraiture Gerard Soest (circa 1600 – February 11, 1681) remains a figure shrouded in scholarly debate, yet undeniably significant within the artistic landscape of 17th-century England. While overshadowed by his contemporaries and lacking the patronage of royal courts, Soest carved out a respectable career as a portrait painter, primarily celebrated for his depictions of literary luminaries like William Shakespeare and Samuel Butler – figures whose likenesses he captured with remarkable sensitivity and skill. Born in Soest, Germany (likely Westph…