Isabella, Wife of Philip IV of Spain
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Isabella, Wife of Philip IV of Spain is a 1850 ink by Unknown 19th Century, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a woman’s face in profile, surrounded by a fancy oval frame. Her hair is curled up in a loose, swirling style, and she wears a necklace with a simple pendant. Around the oval, the words "ISABELLA" and "SPAGN" (short for Spain) curve along the border. The background is packed with decorative swirls, small faces, and strange symbols that look like keys or locks. The lines are all made by tiny, repeated strokes—this isn’t paint, but a carved print. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this made prints before photography.
