Robert Peake the Elder – A Tudor Master of Costume Portraiture Robert Peake the Elder (c. 1551–1619) stands as a singular figure in English art history, recognized primarily for his groundbreaking contribution to the burgeoning genre of costume portraiture during Elizabeth I’s reign and its immediate successor under James I. Unlike many of his contemporaries who focused on idealized depictions or religious subjects, Peake dedicated himself to capturing the vibrancy and complexity of Elizabethan society through meticulously rendered full-length portraits—a stylistic innovation that distinguis…