You know... I can't be called an expert on art, but this does not look like Eleonora of Toledo, 2nd Duchess of Florence, to me. It looks like "our Eleonora's " niece Eleonora of Toledo,(she was the daughter of her brother Garcia). The younger Eleonora married Cosimo and Eleonora's youngest son Pietro (their 11th child)and was later murdered by him for supposed infidelity. (Not that he was any prize, but let's not go there...)
The little dog (which is the same breed as the one shown in the painting Bronzino did called "the Lady with the Dog"( she is wearing a brilliant red dress) which has recently been identified as Maria Salviati, Cosimo's mother), means fidelity, but also sexual or marital love... The portrait in the BBC article is similar to at least 2 other paintings of the younger Eleonora I know of. I think the dress is in this portrait too late in style for "our Eleonora"-- the standing collar is a muchlater style. Our Eleonora had a very distinctive style that she brought with her to Florence. Also, if it was by Allori, I think he would have painted a more flattering portrait , such as the one in Duke Francesco's Studiolo, which made her look beautiful and healthy, just the was Francesco wanted to remember his mom. Alorri painting would have been posthumous anyway... Bronzino's portraits of "our" Eleonora show her very gaunt toward the end of her life and her style of clothing is consistant. Best Regards, Monica Spence (Catriona MacDuff in the SCA) -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of MaggiRos Sent: Saturday, June 03, 2006 8:30 PM To: Historical Costume Subject: [h-cost] New portrait of Eleanora of Toledo found BBC correspondent Charles Wheeler has returned a painting to a German museum after discovering it was looted during World War II. Here's the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5037002.stm MaggiRos _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
