Henry IV
1594
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1594
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Henry IV is a 1594 ink by Léonard Gaultier, a Renaissance work, depicting Charles V, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows King Henry IV on horseback, facing left. His armor gleams. A plume rises from his helmet. The horse steps forward. Trees and a distant town fill the background. Engravings like this spread royal images before cameras. They made kings look strong and grand. The artist cut lines into metal to print many copies. Check out how Gaultier used cross-hatching to shade the armor and sky.
Léonard Gaultier, or, as he sometimes signed himself, Galter, a French engraver, was born at Mainz about 1561, and died in Paris in 1641.
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