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Lettering [bottom half]

Simon van de Passe

1621

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque

Dominant colour

Lettering [bottom 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 round piece with fancy black lines on a light background. The edges have leaf designs. Inside, there’s a mix of big, bold letters and smaller, swirly writing. Some words are stacked or tilted, making it look busy but neat. The artist used a sharp tool to carve into metal first, then printed it. That’s why the lines are so crisp and dark. Next, check out engraving to see how artists like this made prints.