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Henry IV and Maria de Medici

Simon van de Passe

1621

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque

Dominant colour

Henry IV and Maria de Medici 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 two people facing each other. The man has a beard, curly hair, and a fancy collar. The woman’s face is smooth, her hair pulled back, and she wears a pearl necklace. Both look serious, almost regal. The names around the edge are Latin, hinting at who they might be. The paper looks old and worn, like it’s been around for a long time. This is made using engraving, a technique where artists carve into metal plates to create prints.