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Isabella Clara Eugenia, Infanta

Crispijn van de Passe I

1601

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque Portrait

Dominant colour

Isabella Clara Eugenia, Infanta is a 1601 ink by Crispijn van de Passe I, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Crispijn van de Passe I
When & what style?: 1601 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a woman with a high, fancy hairstyle and a ruffled collar. She wears a pearl necklace and looks straight ahead with a calm expression. The background is plain, but the edges of her dress show intricate patterns. The words around her head say things like "Illustrissima Isabella Austriaca," which hints at her importance. The tiny lines and shading in her face and clothes create depth, even though it’s just ink on paper. This is an example of engraving.