On-line gallery
- Reference number
- E00263
- Author
- Leoni, Leone (Italian); Leoni, Pompeo (Italian)
- Title
- Maria of Hungary
- Chronology
- Ca. 1553
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 175 cm x 60 cm x 70 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- COLECCION REAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
Fifth child of Felipe “the
handsome” and Juana “the mad,”
Maria of Hungary was born in
Brussels in 1505. In 1521 she
married Luis Jagellon, heir to the
throne of Hungary. Widowed in 1526,
she was named reagent of the Low
Countries by her brother Carlos V
in 1531. She held that position
until his abdication in 1556, and
died two years later in Cigales
(Valladolid).
She is represented standing, with
the dress and widow's headdress
that appear in most of her
portraits. Her clasped hands bear a
missal.
The artist, a favorite of the
Queen, made the portrait in Italy,
modeling it after a painting by
Titian dated 1548. Maria's austere
dress kept the sculptor from
applying the profuse decorations
present on other royal statues. The
composition is thus enlivened
exclusively by the two ends of the
headdress, which drape across her
like a stole. The figure's slight
contrapostto is in keeping with
this sculptor's finest works, in
which he followed the style of the
figures on the tomb of Emperor
Maximilian in Innsbruck.
This sculpture is paired with that
of Leoni's Felipe II (E272), which
is also at the Prado Museum. Both
were commissioned from the artist
by Maria of Hungary herself, and it
was Leoni who personally took them
to Brussels along with some of his
other works for the same patron.
Location on the map
