Giftof Larry Hartford and Torleif Tandstad,
2016.1.5

You may be surprised to learn that the
woman in this Grand Manner portrait,
Maria Beatrice Anna Margherita, was an
Italian princess of the famous Este family of
Modena, who became the wife of James, the
duke of York and future King James II and
VII, in 1673. Here, she poses without the
trappings of royalty and instead represents
herself as an elegant lady, with a view of the
landscape beyond. Netherlandish (Dutch
and Flemish) portrait painters were a
favorite of the British royal family for
generations; how do you think Wissing
incorporates the interest in landscape that
was characteristic of Netherlandish painting
from the Medieval period onwards?