Shields of Frederick V, Elizabeth, and Prince Frederick Henry

Art Historical Context

Behold the intricate *Shields of Frederick V Elizabeth, and Prince Frederick*, a delicate engraving by Simon de Passe, a masterful Dutch artist active from the late 16th to early 17th century. Created between 1551 and 1600, this—pulled directly from a silver engraved by the artist himself—measures just 6 × 4.8 cm, inviting close inspection of its fine details. As a print classified in the National Gallery of Art's Rosen Collection, it exemplifies the technical precision of Renaissance engraving, where de Passe's burin carved heraldic shields into metal, capturing emblems of nobility with crisp lines and subtle tonal gradations. These shields honor three pivotal Protestant figures: Frederick V, Elector Palatine and brief "Winter King" of Bohemia; his wife, Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of England's James I; and Prince Frederick Henry of Orange, a key Dutch stadtholder. Produced amid religious turmoil and the Eighty Years' War, the artwork symbolizes alliances against Catholic Habsburg powers, blending heraldry with political symbolism. De Passe, part of a renowned family of engravers, elevated such small-scale works into portable emblems of loyalty and legacy. Its modest silver medal origin underscores the era's innovative printmaking, making elite iconography accessible beyond courts. A gem for heraldry enthusiasts, it whispers of 17th-century Europe's shifting dynasties.

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...