Empress Maria of Austria, Wife of Maximilian II
by MOR VAN DASHORST, Anthonis, Oil on canvas, 181 x 90 cm
Maria of Austria (1528-1603) was the daughter of Charles V and Isabella of Portugal. In 1548 she married her cousin, the Archduke Maximilian. She reigned as empress from 1564 to 1576, and in 1580 returned to Spain, entering the convent of Las Descalzas Reales (Madrid), where she remained until her death in 1603. This is a companion piece to a life-size, full-length portrait of her husband. Her arm rests on a table which, like the pedestal and the column, is a standard feature of royal portraits. Her reserved expression and ornate dress are also indicative of her rank.