John Lambe: The Dark Heart of Elizabethan Patronage John Lambe (c. 1545 – June 13, 1628) remains a figure shrouded in mystery and controversy—a testament to the turbulent spirit of Elizabethan England and the unsettling fascination with occult knowledge that gripped the era’s elite. While his artistic output is remarkably sparse, consisting primarily of a single painting, “The English Teapot,” Lambe's influence extends far beyond the canvas, shaping perceptions of witchcraft and bolstering the reputation of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham—a man whose ambition propelled him to positio…