Isabella Clara Eugenia, Infanta of Spain
1615
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1615
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of a woman in fancy 17th-century clothes. She wears a huge ruff collar and a heavy necklace with a cross pendant. Her hair is pulled back under a lace-like cap, and she holds a fan in one hand while resting the other on a chair. The name at the bottom reads *Isabella Clara Eugenia*, which tells us she was an important person. The tiny lines and shading in the print create deep shadows and texture, making the fabric look almost real. This is an example of engraving, a technique where artists etch images into metal plates.
