These two state portraits were painted in florence around the middle of the 17th century. Stylistically, they are close to the work of the flemish painter justus sustermans (1597-1681), who trained first under willem de vos in antwerp and then in the workshop of frans pourbus the younger in paris. In 1620, at the urging of the medici, sustermans moved to florence and from then on was active as a portraitist of the ruling family and other members of the court. The artist was especially fond of vittoria della rovere, who commissioned numerous paintings from him to decorate her favorite residence, the villa del poggio imperiale. In the present portrait, the grand duchess is depicted in a magnificent red dress richly embroidered with filigree gold and silver threads, creating a sophisticated play of colors with the dark red tones of the velvet curtain behind her and the tablecloth beside her. The noblewoman's finery is completed with jeweled borders, a white lace collar, and strands of pearls. On the table next to her is the ducal crown that cosimo i de' medici received from pope pius v in 1569, characterized by prongs set with pearls and rubies. Object Type: painting. Date: between 1637 and 1640. Dimensions: height: 203 cm (79.9 in); width: 123 cm (48.4 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: Unidentified location. After Sustermans - Vittoria della Rovere, full length
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