Title

Sister Ana Dorotea of Austria

Author

Rubens, Peter Paul [attributed to]

Siegen, 1577 - Antwerp, 1640

Typology

School

Century

Dimensions

Technique

Support

Observations

The portrait of Sister Ana Dorotea of Austria, painted by Rubens in 1628, is a remarkable work conserved at the Monastery of Las Descalzas Reales in Madrid. This artwork depicts the young archduchess, natural daughter of Emperor Rudolf II, who entered the Monastery of Las Descalzas in 1623 and took her vows five years later, in 1628, at the age of seventeen. This portrait most likely corresponds to that period of entry into religious life.

Ana Dorotea was one of the youngest daughters of Rudolf II, born in Vienna around 1611. When her father died in 1612, she was only six months old. It was her aunt, the nun Sister Margarita, who arranged for her transfer to the Monastery of Las Descalzas at the age of twelve, to keep her by her side. Ana Dorotea played an important role there, not only as a member of the imperial family but also as a patroness and regent of the monastery, continuing the work of her aunt.

In this portrait, Rubens captures the young nun in bust, wearing the Franciscan habit, holding a prayer book and a rosary in her hands. Her face is delicately framed by a black veil, and her features are refined, with a skin tone that is almost silver-like in its transparency, highlighted by a subtle shadow beneath her eyes and the softness of her rose-colored lips. The simplicity of her brown, neutral-toned robe contrasts elegantly with the intensity of her gaze and the light emanating from her face. The painting exhibits a silvered, luminous quality, characteristic of Rubens' style and his distinctive approach to portraiture.

The identification of this figure as Sister Ana Dorotea of Austria was confirmed by comparing it with another earlier portrait from 1623, painted by the Madrid artist Andrés López, in which she is depicted as a novice at the age of twelve. Although the two portraits differ in style and treatment, the distinctive features of her face, such as the shape of her mouth and the color of her eyes, are immediately recognizable.

Rubens' portrait, created at a pivotal moment in her religious life, illustrates not only her beauty but also her essential role in the life of the Monastery of Las Descalzas. She was one of its greatest patrons, funding works of art and donating precious liturgical objects. Additionally, she maintained close ties with the court of Madrid, particularly with King Philip IV, who distinguished her with special treatment as an infanta.

Currently, the portrait is displayed in a room dedicated to the important figures of the monastery, surrounded by other portraits of nuns (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. 146, il. 76.
• A. García Sanz and M.L. Sánchez Hernández (2009): Guide: Royal convents of Madrid: las Descalzas reales and la Encarnación, Patrimonio Nacional, Madrid, p. 37.
• F. Huemer (ed) (1977): Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, vol. XIX, nº 1, Nationaal Centrum voor de Plastische Kunsten van de XVIde en de XVIIde Eeuw, Antwerp, pp. 101-102, il. cat. 1.

Locations

• Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid (Spain) (Inventory number: 00612199)