An engraving by Crispijn van de Passe (II) depicting King Louis XIII of France on horseback, rendered in the formal style of seventeenth-century royal portraiture.

This engraving by Crispijn van de Passe (II) depicts King Louis XIII of France in a traditional equestrian pose. The monarch is shown mounted on a rearing horse, dressed in full plate armour with a lace collar, holding a baton of command. The composition follows the conventions of seventeenth-century royal portraiture, which sought to project authority and military prowess. Below the horse, the scene includes discarded armour and a battlefield, suggesting a narrative of victory and martial strength.

Van de Passe (II) was a member of a prolific family of engravers and printmakers based in the Netherlands. His technical approach relies on precise hatching and cross-hatching to define the metallic sheen of the armour and the musculature of the horse. The background features a schematic representation of a military encampment, providing a sense of scale and context to the royal figure. The inclusion of a French inscription at the base serves to identify the subject and reinforce the allegorical nature of the print, comparing the king to Hercules.

The print is a fine example of the Dutch Golden Age tradition of reproductive engraving, where the skill of the printmaker was essential for the dissemination of royal iconography across Europe. The attention to detail in the horse's mane and the textures of the fabric and metal demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship expected from the Van de Passe workshop. This work remains a clear record of the visual language used to communicate sovereign power during the early seventeenth century.