Justus Sustermans, 'The Grand Duke Ferdinand II of Tuscany and his Wife', probably 1660s
About the work
Overview
In 1621, at the age of ten, Ferdinand II de' Medici succeeded his father Cosimo II as Grand Duke of Tuscany, assuming power in 1627. He is shown here with Vittoria della Rovere, his wife; the couple had married in 1634.
Ferdinand wears a commander’s sash and the cross of the military order of San Stefano. In his right hand he grips a commander’s baton, while Vittoria holds a fan in hers. The rose in her left hand, positioned between the two figures, could be a symbol of their union.
The poses of the couple are similar to those in individual portraits of them by Sustermans (now in the Uffizi, Florence), who worked as court painter to the rulers of Tuscany from 1619 or 1620. It’s likely that this picture was based on the portraits rather than painted directly from life.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- Double Portrait of the Grand Duke Ferdinand II of Tuscany and his Wife Vittoria della Rovere
- Artist
- Justus Sustermans
- Artist dates
- 1597 - 1681
- Date made
- probably 1660s
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 161 × 147 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bought, 1824
- Inventory number
- NG89
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Previous owners
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Gregory Martin, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Flemish School: circa 1600–circa 1900’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1986Martin, Gregory, National Gallery Catalogues: The Flemish School, circa 1600 - circa 1900, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
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