Prince Henry with the Pike
1620
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1620
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Prince Henry with the Pike is a 1620 ink by Willem de Passe, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
A man in fancy armor stands holding a long pole. His outfit has lots of detailed patterns, and he’s wearing tall boots. Behind him, a small figure sits on the ground, looking up. The background is plain, but there’s a wreath and some text above his head. This print looks like it’s meant to show more than just a person—maybe a lesson or idea. The writing around the picture is in Latin, which was often used for serious messages back then. This is an example of engraving, a technique where artists carve into metal plates to make prints.
Willem de Passe (1598–1637) was an artist, born in Cologne.
See the richer artist page
