Artwork

Dona Juana (1535-1573), Prinzessin von Portugal, ganzfiguriges Bildnis im Alter von 22 Jahren mit einer Dogge

Dona Juana (1535-1573), Prinzessin von Portugal, ganzfiguriges Bildnis im Alter von 22 Jahren mit einer Dogge is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Alonso Sánchez Coello. It dates from 1557 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The subject is shown accompanied by a dog, a common iconographic element in portraiture of this era that typically symbolizes fidelity and loyalty.

The work depicts Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal, portrayed at the age of 22 in a full-length format. Created in 1557 by Alonso Sánchez Coello, the painting functions as a formal royal portrait rather than a narrative scene. The subject is shown accompanied by a dog, a common iconographic element in portraiture of this era that typically symbolizes fidelity and loyalty.

As a commissioned likeness of a Habsburg princess, the image serves to assert her noble status and dynastic identity within the context of 16th-century court culture.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1557 by Alonso Sánchez Coello, this full-length portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 180 cm in height and 112 cm in width, presenting the subject, Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal, at the age of twenty-two. The composition is defined by the inclusion of a Great Dane alongside the figure, a formal element characteristic of royal portraiture from this period. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Dona Juana, Princess of Portugal, was painted by Alonso Sánchez Coello in 1557 and originally housed in Schloss Ambras Innsbruck. It entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where it remains on view today. The work depicts Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal, at the age of twenty-two, accompanied by a mastiff. It is an oil painting on canvas measuring 180 cm by 112 cm.

Overview

This oil painting is a full-length portrait of a young noblewoman, created by Alonso Sánchez Coello in 1557. The work is characteristic of the artist's style, blending detailed realism with elegance.

Artist & collection

Artist

Alonso Sánchez Coello

Alonso Sánchez Coello (c. 1531 – 8 August 1588) was an Iberian portrait painter of the Spanish and Portuguese Renaissance. He is mainly known for his portrait paintings executed in a style which combines the objectivity…