Who painted Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex?

Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex was painted by Magdalena van de Passe in 1620.

Where can I see Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex?

Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex?

Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex?

Museum-quality prints of Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex

Magdalena van de Passe , 1620

Walter Devereux, First Earl of Essex is an ink print by the Baroque artist Magdalena van de Passe. It dates from 1620 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1620, this copper engraving portrays Walter Devereux, the first Earl of Essex, rendered by the Dutch engraver Magdalena van de Passe. The image presents the nobleman in elaborate early‑seventeenth‑century dress, his expression subdued rather than triumphant, and is executed with the fine linear precision characteristic of van de Passe’s portrait work.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is shown wearing a richly embroidered doublet and a stiff, lace‑trimmed collar, elements that signal his high rank and the fashion of the English court. His weary gaze and slightly down‑turned mouth suggest a moment of personal reflection, perhaps hinting at the political and military pressures that marked his career.

Technique & Style

Van de Passe employed the traditional engraving process: a design was incised into a metal plate with a burin, the grooves were inked, and the plate was pressed onto paper. The artist’s deft handling of line creates delicate shading on the face and coat, while the intricate cross‑hatching captures the texture of the lace collar and the sheen of the fabric.

Context

Magdalena van de Passe, a member of the prolific van de Passe family of engravers, specialized in portraiture for a continental clientele.

Magdalena van de Passe, a member of the prolific van de Passe family of engravers, specialized in portraiture for a continental clientele. Working in the early Baroque period, she combined Northern European attention to detail with the emerging taste for individualized likenesses, producing prints that circulated among the aristocracy and served both as status symbols and as documentary records of notable figures.