Elizabeth de Bourbon
1590
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From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1590
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white engraving of a woman in fancy 17th-century clothes. She’s holding a small bird in one hand and a fan in the other, standing against a dark background with swirling decorative lines around her. The words “POUVTRAIT DE MADAME LA DUCHESSE DE NAVARRE” curve around her head, and there’s a banner at the bottom with more text in French. The artist used fine lines and shading to show her detailed dress and the bird’s feathers. This style is typical of engravings, where precision matters more than color. Next, look up engraving to see how artists create these sharp, detailed images.
