Sir Nathaniel Bacon (1585-1627) was a seventeenth-century British gentleman painter whose significance as an experimenter and innovator in artistic practice is only just beginning to receive due recognition. He was also a keen gardener. Sadly there are fewer than twelve known surviving works by Bacon, one of which is the immense painting in the Tate Collection, Cookmaid With Still Life of Vegetables and Fruit. Illustrations in this survey include a selection of surviving Bacon manuscripts, books by his friends and imported Chinese porcelain in addition to his 'Cookmaid' paintings and self-portraits. Written by Tate curator Karen Hearn who has been researching the author's life, work and circle for many years, Nathaniel Bacon is the first book to focus on this significant but previously little-known artist.