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 of "our Eleonora" , 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 Kathy Page Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 2:33 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [h-cost] Re: New Portrait of Eleonora of Toledo Actually, that painting is nearly dead-on to about 5 paintings attributed to several artists. A few months back I was digging into the source of an lithograph I had found in Levi-Piesetsky (sp? I'm lazy today). I was trying to find out who this Bahuet guy was, and we came to the general conclusion that she made an error in the translations to his name or something like that, that it was likely based on something else. I had said the same thing, that the dates given didn't match that of Eleanora. Some of the other paintings that came up relative said they were ladies of her court, not Herself. The others that look like this one are dated in the 1540-1560's range. I have the fabric and trimmings, even the gold couching pattern ready.... just a matter of getting to making the thing.... so many projects, so little time. Especially when I have one that has me painted into a corner like that Florentine hose I am knawing on.... no one has any ideas on how to do this? Anyone? Bueller? Kathy Ermine, a lion rampant tail nowed gules charged on the shoulder with a rose Or barbed, seeded, slipped and leaved vert(Fieldless) On a rose Or barbed vert a lion's head erased gules. Its never too late to be who you might have been. -George Eliot Tosach eólais imchomarc. - Questioning is the beginning of knowledge. http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/131 I heard about this miniature on the BBC radio news this evening:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5037002.stm If you click to enlarge the image, you'll also see more of the painting. _______________________________________________ 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
