James I
1582
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1582
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
James I is a 1582 ink by Johan Wierix, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a thick beard and mustache. He wears a fancy hat with a feather and a heavy coat over chainmail. His right hand holds a sword, and his left rests on a saddlebag. The background looks like a battlefield with tents and hills. The text at the bottom names him James, king of England, France, Scotland, and Ireland. The artist signed it as "Ioan. Meijssens excudit Antwerpia," which means it’s an engraving from Antwerp. If you like this style, look up engraving to see how artists carved these detailed lines.
