Title

Archduke Albert of Austria

Author

Pourbus, Frans (II) [attributed to]

Antwerp, 1569 - Paris, 1580

Typology

School

Century

Dimensions

Technique

Support

Observations

The portrait of Archduke Albert of Austria, painted by Frans Pourbus the Younger around 1599-1600, is a remarkable work, not only for its technical quality but also for its royal history and context. This portrait once belonged to Empress Maria of Austria and was bequeathed to her daughter Margarita, a nun at the Monastery of las Descalzas Reales, upon her death. Thus, the painting passed from the Habsburg royal collection to the collection of the Madrid institution.

When comparing this portrait to the one of Archduke Ernest, also painted by Pourbus but a few years earlier and housed in the same room, there is an evident evolution in the artist's work. The portrait of Albert is of superior quality, with the figure of the archduke exuding a more imposing and nuanced presence. The handling of light is particularly remarkable: the cast shadows (notably on the legs and command staff) and the direct shadows (on the armor and right arm) demonstrate Pourbus's mastery in manipulating space and light, a technique he increasingly perfected with virtuosity.

The archduke is depicted holding a command staff, a symbol of his role as the military leader of the Spanish forces in the Netherlands. The portrait highlights his nobility and power, using a sumptuous backdrop, particularly the drapery, which is of exceptional quality in this work. This painting not only showcases Pourbus's technical skill but also his sense of grandeur and majesty as official court portraitist.

The portrait of Archduke Albert finds its counterpart in the one of his wife, Isabella Clara Eugenie, both displayed side by side. These portraits are a valuable testament to the couple, who played a vital role in the history of the Spanish Netherlands as sovereigns between 1598 and 1621.

Today, this portrait is on display in the Kings' Room of the monastery (November 2024).

Related links

Bibliography

• (2019): La otra Corte : mujeres de la Casa de Austria en los Monasterios Reales de las Descalzas y la Encarnación, Patrimonio Nacional, Madrid, p. 96, il. 42.
• B. Ducos (2011): Frans Pourbus le Jeune (1569-1622). Le portrait d'apparat à l'aube du Grand Siècle entre Habsbourg, Médicis et Bourbons, Éditions Faton, Dijon, pp. 198-199, il. P.A.15.
• J.J. Garcés (1969): El museo madrileño de las Descalzas Reales, Prensa Ibérica, Madrid, pp. 32-33; 73.

Locations

• 1603: Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid (Spain) (Inventory number: 00612211)