Wolfgang William, Count Palatine
1610/40
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
Plate: 16.5 × 10.8 cm (6 1/2 × 4 5/16 in.); sheet: 18.7 × 13 cm (7 3/8 × 5 1/8 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
267683
Art Historical Context
This engraving by Simon van de Passe captures Wolfgang William, Count Palatine, in a formal portrait typical of early seventeenth-century European nobility. Created between 1610 and 1640, the work measures just over six inches in height, making it an intimate yet precise study suited for personal collections or books of the period. Van de Passe’s fine line work brings out the subject’s dignified bearing and richly detailed attire, reflecting the status of a prominent German prince during a time of political and religious upheaval in the Holy Roman Empire. Engraving on paper was a vital medium...