John Caius, Co-Founder of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
published 1620
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 15.5 × 11.9 cm (6 1/8 × 4 11/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1950.14.251
Art Historical Context
This elegant engraving portrays John Caius (1510–1573), the distinguished physician and scholar who refounded Gonville Hall as Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, in 1557. Created by the Dutch siblings Willem and Magdalena de Passe and published in 1620, the print preserves Caius’s image for posterity long after his death, emphasizing his enduring legacy in medicine and education. The modest sheet size—roughly 15.5 by 11.9 centimeters—made the work ideal for inclusion in books or personal collections, allowing students and admirers to carry a reminder of his contributions. Willem and Magda...
About the Artist
Willem de Passe and Magdalena de Passe
**Willem van de Passe and Magdalena van de Passe: Engraving Prodigies of the Van de Passe Dynasty** Willem van de Passe (c. 1597/98–c. 1636/37) and his sister Magdalena van de Passe (1600–1638) were standout engravers in the illustrious Van de Passe family, a dynasty of Dutch printmakers founded by their father, Crispijn van de Passe the Elder. Born in Cologne amid the family's flight from religi...