Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons
Encyclopedia
Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Seons is a painting attributed to the Italian Mannerist artist Parmigianino
and others, executed around 1539-1540 and housed in the Museo del Prado
, Madrid
, Spain
. It is coupled with the Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo, his husband, the latter instead unanimously assigned to Parmigianino.
, as the wife of the count of San Sigundo. The subject has been identified with Camilla Gonzaga, wife of imperial general Pier Maria III de' Rossi
basing on this note, and by another from 1630 by one of his descendants about the existence of a portrait of him by Parmigianino.
The painting arrived in Spain in 1664, after King Philip IV
had supported to the Rossi family in a dispute with the Farnese of Parma about some territories. It has been dated from around 1539-1540, but the attribution to Parmigianino is controversial, the author having been identified also as an artist from Bronzino's workshop. It is possible that Parmigianino, who died in 1540, had not been able to paint the portrait, which was completed by another artist, perhaps basing on his sketch
on the chest, and rich set of jewels. She looks to the right, ideally towards the portrait of her husband. The countess is surrounded by her three sons, Troilo, Federico and Ippolito. It is the first case in Italian art in which this iconography was used.
The three sons appear to be from different hands, and were perhaps added in different moments.
Parmigianino
Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola , also known as Francesco Mazzola or more commonly as Parmigianino or sometimes "Parmigiano", was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, Bologna, and his native city of Parma...
and others, executed around 1539-1540 and housed in the Museo del Prado
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of...
, Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It is coupled with the Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo, his husband, the latter instead unanimously assigned to Parmigianino.
History
It is mentioned in a 1686 inventory of the collections of the Royal Alcazar of MadridRoyal Alcazar of Madrid
The Royal Alcázar of Madrid was a Muslim fortress built in the second half of the 9th century, at the site of today's Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. The structure was extended and enlarged over the centuries, particularly after the 16th century...
, as the wife of the count of San Sigundo. The subject has been identified with Camilla Gonzaga, wife of imperial general Pier Maria III de' Rossi
Pier Maria III de' Rossi
Pier Maria III de' Rossi was an Italian general and nobleman, the second marquess and seventh count of San Secondo.-Biography:...
basing on this note, and by another from 1630 by one of his descendants about the existence of a portrait of him by Parmigianino.
The painting arrived in Spain in 1664, after King Philip IV
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
had supported to the Rossi family in a dispute with the Farnese of Parma about some territories. It has been dated from around 1539-1540, but the attribution to Parmigianino is controversial, the author having been identified also as an artist from Bronzino's workshop. It is possible that Parmigianino, who died in 1540, had not been able to paint the portrait, which was completed by another artist, perhaps basing on his sketch
Description
The countess is portrayed on a black background, wearing a precious scarlet dress, a frilled mousselineMousseline
A mousseline is a dish based on meat, fish, shellfish or foie gras to which whipped cream or, less frequently, beaten egg whites are added to lighten the texture by incorporating air bubbles. "Mousseline" is a derivative of "mousse"....
on the chest, and rich set of jewels. She looks to the right, ideally towards the portrait of her husband. The countess is surrounded by her three sons, Troilo, Federico and Ippolito. It is the first case in Italian art in which this iconography was used.
The three sons appear to be from different hands, and were perhaps added in different moments.