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Henri IV and Maria de Medici [top half]

Simon van de Passe

1621

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque Portrait

Dominant colour

Henri IV and Maria de Medici [top half] is a 1621 ink by Simon van de Passe, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Simon van de Passe
When & what style?: 1621 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white engraving of a bearded man in a fancy robe, holding a scroll. His curly hair and serious face fill most of the circle. Around his shoulders, tiny figures and symbols are carved into the metal, like a crown and some kind of shield. The background is mostly empty, just a dark oval with the words "HENRICVS IV" and "MARIA MEDICIS" written around the edges. The artist used fine lines to create shadows and texture, making the robe look heavy and the hair look thick. This kind of detailed carving is called engraving. Look up engraving to see how artists like this made prints from metal plates.