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James I, King of England [top half]

Simon van de Passe

1621

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque Portrait

Dominant colour

James I, King of England [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 portrait of a man with a full beard and a wide-brimmed hat. His collar is stiff and ruffled, and the hat has a feather or decoration on top. The background is plain, but his face and clothes are detailed with lines and shading. The image is an engraving, which means it was carved into metal and then printed. This style was common in the Renaissance, when artists used fine lines to create depth and texture. Look up engraving to see how artists like this one made detailed prints from metal plates.