Lot 2055 Dα

The beautiful Vittoria della Rovere, who was unhappily married to the Grand Duke Ferdinand II de´ Medici, was frequently depicted by the Flemish painter Justus Sustermans and his workshop as well as by Italian contemporaries. Sometimes the portraits show the Grand Duchess as a goddess of Greco-Roman mythology, provided with corresponding attributes, for example as Flora with a garland of flowers in her hands (cf. Dorotheum, Vienna, auctioned 17th October 2012, lot 515). The torn pearl necklace in our painting suggests a representation of Vittoria as St. Mary Magdalene. Her jewellery is thus to be interpreted as a vanitas motif, in the sense that the saint renounced all earthly wealth.


A further, smaller version of the subject (68 x 52 cm) is also known, which may be a preliminary study for the present painting (see Galerie Fischer, Lucerne, auction 30th November - 4th December 1965, lot 2261).