Philip William, Prince of Nassau
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This engraving shows a man in fancy 17th-century clothes, standing on a ship deck with a sword in one hand and a scroll in the other. Behind him, a small ship sails on a wavy sea, and a coat of arms sits on a pedestal to his right. The floor is tiled, and the whole scene has a dark, detailed look. The text at the bottom names him as a prince, but the style feels more like a dramatic story than a real portrait. The artist used fine lines to build up shadows and textures, making everything look three-dimensional. Next, check out engraving to see how artists create these sharp, layered images.
