XXXX: Forty Years
1599
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1599
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
XXXX: Forty Years is a 1599 ink by Crispijn van de Passe I, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a busy scene inside a room with a high ceiling and a ladder leading to a small window. A woman sits at a table, writing while a child kneels beside her, holding a book. Nearby, a man in a hat holds a scroll and a globe, pointing upward. Outside the window, a cityscape stretches out, with ships on the water. The text around the edge is in Latin, hinting this might be about time or memory. The mix of writing, tools, and the globe suggests ideas like knowledge or history. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
