James I, King of England

Art Historical Context

This elegant engraving captures James I, King of England, in a formal portrait created by the Dutch printmaker Crispijn de Passe I in 1622. Produced during the monarch’s reign, the image reflects the era’s interest in royal representation, when printed portraits helped convey authority and legitimacy across distances. At just under 15 centimeters tall, the work’s intimate scale suggests it was designed for personal study or inclusion in albums rather than grand display. As an engraving, the medium allowed skilled artists like de Passe to render fine details of costume, facial features, and symbolic accessories through precise linework on a copper plate. This reproductive technique made royal imagery widely accessible, circulating the king’s likeness among courtiers, scholars, and collectors throughout Europe. Today the print resides in the National Gallery of Art’s Rosenwald Collection, where it offers visitors a window into early seventeenth-century court culture and the growing power of printed portraiture.

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...