Maria of Austria, Infanta of Spain
1622
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 16.7 × 11.4 cm (6 9/16 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1951.11.205
Art Historical Context
**Maria of Austria, Infanta Spain** is a delicate engraving by the renowned Dutch artist Simon de Passe, created in 1622. just 16.7 × 11.4 cm, this intimate portrait captures the youthful elegance of Maria Anna, Infanta of Spain (1606–1646), daughter of Philip III. De Passe, a master engraver from a family of printmakers, was celebrated for his precise line work and ability to convey nobility's poise, often working across Europe for royal patrons. Engravings like this were revolutionary in the early 17th century, allowing high-quality portraits of Europe's elite to be widely disseminated at a...
About the Artist
Simon de Passe · 1590–1647
Simon de Passe (c. 1595–1647), born in Cologne to the renowned Dutch engraver and publisher Crispijn van de Passe the Elder and his wife Magdalene, grew up in a family dynasty of printmakers who had fled Antwerp due to religious persecution as Anabaptists. The second son among five siblings—four of whom became engravers, including brothers Crispijn II and Willem, and sister Magdalena—he trained un...