Shield of James I [bottom half]
1551 to 1600
![Shield of James I [bottom half] by Simon de Passe](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/shield-of-james-i-bottom-half-nga-11746.webp)
Medium
engraving pulled from silver medal engraved by the artist
Dimensions
plate: 5.7 × 4.8 cm (2 1/4 × 1 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.9243.b
Art Historical Context
Behold the intricate *Shield of James I [ half]*, a delicate engraving by Simon de Passe, dating from the late 16th century (circa 1551–1600). This tiny print, measuring just 5.7 × 4.8 cm, captures the lower portion of a heraldic shield linked to James I of England (also James VI of Scotland), whose reign bridged the Tudor and Stuart eras. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosen Collection, it exemplifies the period's fascination with royal portraiture and emblematic designs. Crafted as an engraving pulled directly from a silver medal engraved by de Passe himself—a masterful Dutch artis...
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...