caption

Unknown Artist, Unknown Woman

Photo courtesy of Dave Penman (All rights reserved)

Details

Country House
Doddington Hall
Title(s)
Unknown Woman
Date
1617
Location
Brown Parlour
Medium and support
Oil on panel
Dimensions
Overall height: 55 cm, Overall width: 45 cm
Artist
Unknown Artist
Catalogue Number
DN6
Inscription
  • Inscribed ‘AETATIS SVAE 19 / ANNO 1617’

Description

Maria Anna, Infanta of Spain (1606–1646), who is identified by tradition as the sitter in the present portrait, was the youngest daughter of Philip III and Margaret of Austria. However, the portrait does not bear a likeness to other images of Anna Maria (for example by Velasquez, 1630, Prado), and the sitter’s dates do not match. The inscription on the panel indicates that the sitter was aged nineteen in 1617, suggesting that she was born c.1598.

by Martin Postle

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