Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
published 1604
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
plate: 14.2 × 9 cm (5 9/16 × 3 9/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1950.14.659
Art Historical Context
This engraving by Crispijn de Passe I captures Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1604, shortly after his father, James I, ascended the English throne. As the eldest son and heir apparent, Henry was celebrated as a promising young leader, embodying hopes for a stable Protestant succession. De Passe, a skilled Dutch printmaker working across Europe, created this intimate portrait to reach a wide audience through the affordable medium of engraving. Measuring just 14.2 by 9 centimeters, the plate demonstrates the precision of early seventeenth-century printmaking. Fine lines and careful shadin...
About the Artist
Crispijn de Passe I
Crispijn de Passe I, born around 1564 in Arnemuiden, Zeeland, emerged as one of the most influential Dutch engravers and print publishers of his era. He relocated to Antwerp as a youth, where he honed his craft amid the city's vibrant printmaking scene, becoming an independent master in the Guild of Saint Luke by 1584–1585. There, he worked as a reproductive engraver, primarily after designs by pr...