Sheila ffolliott, George Mason University; The Medici Archive Project

This lecture forms part of the symposium Key women in the creation of the Prado’s collections. From Isabella I of Castile to Isabel Clara Eugenia, held on 7 and 8 March 2022 at the Museo del Prado.

The formation of the Museo del Prado’s collections is closely linked to the artistic patronage carried out by some of the most prominent women of the royal houses, from Isabella I of Castile to Isabella II. However, we often walk through the Museum’s galleries without noticing this, unaware that some of its masterpieces are the result of female patronage.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Museo del Prado brings together leading international specialists in a symposium that seeks to direct our attention towards those women who promoted, collected and inspired some of the most emblematic works of art in this institution. Their activities, framed between 1451 and 1633, coincide with the years between the birth of Isabella the Catholic and the death of Isabel Clara Eugenia. Queens, princesses, regents and governors who played a fundamental role not only in the promotion of works of art, but also in the principal arenas of power, being largely responsible for the internationalisation of the Hispanic Monarchy.