This is the frontispiece to a sixteenth-century printed edition of
Gower's "Confessio Amantis" (
Jo.
Gower de confessione amantis. London: Thomas Berthelette,
1532). It is likely that this portrait of Gower is based on the poet's
tomb effigy. The poet wears a collar (consisting
of S-shaped links) that was given to him by
King Henry IV. In the
Cronica Tripertita, Gower refers to Henry as he "qui gerit S" (he who wears
the "S").
You may wish to compare this illustration to
another
portrait based on the tomb effigy.
This is the title page to the same book. The first printed edition of
the "Confessio" appeared in 1483
(by
William Caxton, London); Berthelette's
edition was dedicated to Henry VIII.