Portrait of a Noblewoman
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.One of the first women artists to gain international fame, Sofonisba Anguissola specialized in portraits. Her paintings depict a remarkable range of subjects including the nobility, children, people of modest means, and her family members, notably four of her sisters who were also painters. She painted this picture in Madrid after King Philip II had invited her to join the royal court as lady-in-waiting to Queen Isabel de Valois in 1559. It probably served to commemorate the engagement of this elegantly costumed noblewoman, who holds a type of long chain typically given as a marriage gift.
Artwork Details
- Title: Portrait of a Noblewoman
- Artist: Sofonisba Anguissola (Anguisciola) (Italian, Cremona 1532–1625 Palermo)
- Date: 1570–73
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 71 7/16 × 38 3/4 in. (181.5 × 98.5 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Loaned courtesy of The Klesch Collection
- Object Number: L.2023.27.2
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings