- Also known as
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Willem van de Passe
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primary name: Passe, Willem de
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other name: Passaeus, Wilhelmus
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other name: de Passe, Willem
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other name: van de Passe, Willem
- Details
- individual; printmaker; British; Dutch; Male
- Other dates
- 1597/8-1636/7 (c.)
- Biography
- Engraver, third son of Crispijn van de Passe I, born in Cologne. 1618-1620 in Utrecht, from 1621 in London where he died.
His early prints were published by his father, but a significant number of those made in the 1610s bear French privileges. Between 1618 and 1620 he and his sister Magdalena engraved the plates for Holland's 'Heroologia'. He first appeared in London in 1621, the year that his brother Simon left. He had powerful patrons. He brought with him a drawing he had been allowed to make of the Bohemian royal family, and was then given a sitting by James and Charles.
His name appears in the records of the French church in Threadneedle Street (not the Dutch church). On 6 April 1624 Willem was himself baptised at the age of 26, followed two days later by his son Crispin. On 25 September 1625 his daughter Elizabeth was also baptised (Moens p.56). Professor Veldman has found in a Dutch document of 1636 his wife Elizabeth's maiden name given as 'Jennerts', which strongly suggests that she was a relative of Thomas Jenner who published Willem's first plates in London. One important plate of 1622 was made for John Bill. He never worked for George Humble or Henry Holland.
Willem's last dated plate was made in 1625, and the date of his death is uncertain. Documents in Utrecht published by Haverkorn van Rijsewijk (Oud Holland, X 1892, pp.104,106) imply that he was still alive in London in October 1636 but that he was certainly dead by December 1637. Perhaps he was another victim of the plague that killed Robert van Voerst. The problem is to account for what he was doing after 1625, there being no evidence for any activity on his part during these years.
Willem was far less prolific than other members of his family.
- Bibliography
- Franken; Hollstein (59 nos); Hind II pp.285-301 (for work in England); Hind II, pp.285-301 (19 nos, British plates only).
