The Vow of Louis XIII (Louis XIII and His Wife, Anne of Austria, Entrusting the New Prince and the Crown to the Virgin)
1638
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1638
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white print shows a king and queen standing side by side. The king holds a baby while the queen touches a crown. Behind them, a large woman with wings—likely the Virgin Mary—sits holding another child. The background has fancy columns and a building with arches. Notice how the lines in the print create shadows and texture. The artist used tiny parallel lines to build up dark and light areas. Want to see how this technique works? Look up engraving.
