James I, King of England/James VI of Scotland

Art Historical Context

This 1618 print by Simon van de Passe captures King James I of England, also James VI of Scotland, during a pivotal era when he ruled both following the 1603 union of the crowns. As a widely circulated portrait, the work helped shape the public image of a monarch who promoted peace abroad and supported the arts at home, including the translation of the King James Bible. Van de Passe, a skilled Dutch engraver working in England, used precise line work typical of early modern printmaking to render the king in regal attire. The image features a prominent ruff collar, feathered hat, scepter, and sovereign’s orb, along with the royal coat of arms displaying the lion and unicorn—symbols that underscored James’s authority and the stability of his reign. Printed rather than painted, this portrait could reach a broad audience, reinforcing the monarch’s presence across his kingdoms. Today it remains a valuable historical document of Stuart-era iconography preserved in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery collection.