Shield of James I

Simon van de Passe

1621

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque

About this work

This is a black-and-white engraving of a fancy shield. At the center sits a smaller shield with a lion and a harp. Around it, two figures hold up the shield—one looks like a knight, the other a warrior. Above them, a crown sits on top of a wreath. The whole thing is surrounded by swirling lines and Latin words. The tiny details, like the lion’s fur and the knight’s armor, show how carefully this was carved. It’s not a painting—it’s etched into metal, then printed. Want to see more like this? Check out engraving.