Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain

Description

Margaret of Austria, wife of King Philip III of Spain, stands resplendently dressed, her royal authority conveyed through the formality of the portrait as well as her sumptuous attire. She is bedecked with jewels: Her skirt is fastened with decorative clasps, long strands of pearls encircle her neck, and intricate chains adorn her waist and wrists. In the center of her chest is a large brooch that was part of the Spanish crown jewels for several cen-turies and appears in numerous royal portraits. It contains two gems that were so famous that they were given nicknames: The large pearl was known as “La Peregrina” (The Pilgrim), and the blue diamond was called “El Estanque” (The Pond).

Provenance

Arthur Meeker, Chicago [according to a notation on the Registrar’s record]. Eugene McVoy (died 1929), Chicago, by 1927 [lent to the Art Institute in 1927, as Sánchez Coello, receipt R3417]; by descent to his children Corinne McVoy Gorham, Marie Celeste McVoy Kohler (later McFadden), Jean Dorothy McVoy Conger and Eugene J. McVoy Jr.; given by them to the Art Institute, 1942.

Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain

Andrés López Polanco

c. 1610

Accession Number

111637

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

210.6 × 109.3 cm (82 7/8 × 43 in.); Framed: 230.5 × 139.1 cm (90 3/4 × 54 3/4 in.)

Classification

oil on canvas

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Sydney Gorham and Mrs. Walter Kohler, Jr.;Mrs. James Conger, Eugene McVoy in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene McVoy