Sir William Segar (in or before 1564–1633) was a portrait painter and officer of arms to the court of Elizabeth I of England who became Garter King of Arms under James I.
Like other artists of the Tudor court, Segar was active in more than one medium, painting portraits of luminaries of the court in addition to his duties in the College of Arms. He painted Elizabeth's favourite the Earl of Essex in his "Sable sad" (black) armour for the Accession...
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Sir William Segar (in or before 1564–1633) was a portrait painter and officer of arms to the court of Elizabeth I of England who became Garter King of Arms under James I.
Like other artists of the Tudor court, Segar was active in more than one medium, painting portraits of luminaries of the court in addition to his duties in the College of Arms. He painted Elizabeth's favourite the Earl of Essex in his "Sable sad" (black) armour for the Accession Day tilt of 1590. The famous "Ermine Portrait" of Elizabeth is sometimes attributed to Segar.
William Segar may have been the son of one Nicholas Segar or of Francis Nycholson, alias Seager, who became a freeman of the Stationers' Company in 1557. Once thought to be of Dutch origin, Segar is now believed to have been born in England of an English mother. By 1584 William had married Helen Somers, and had three sons and three daughters. By 1596 Segar was married to Maria Browne and had four sons, including Thomas Segar who later became...
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