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Shield of James I [bottom half]

Simon van de Passe

1621

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque

Dominant colour

Shield of James I [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 black-and-white engraving of a fancy shield and crown. The shield has four smaller sections with different symbols—like lions and a harp. Around it, there are curly decorations, a bearded man’s head, and a banner with Latin words. The whole thing looks detailed and a little old-fashioned. The Latin words on the banner say *"Dedi quod debui"* (I’ve given what I owed). This was likely a way to show pride or honor back in the day. If you like this style, check out engraving to see how artists made these sharp, precise images.